My uncle made a will a number of years ago and he left a substantial bequest to his brother (my father). Sadly both my uncle and my father are now deceased. My father died a number of months before my uncle. What happens to the money willed to my late father? Does the bequest fail because my father predeceased my uncle or does the bequest go to the beneficiaries of my father’s estate? If the bequest fails who inherits it?
Irish succession law provides that where a beneficiary (person inheriting under a will) predeceases a testator (person making a will) the bequest or legacy left to that deceased beneficiary shall fail. This is known as the Doctrine of Lapse. In this particular situation the bequest to your late father will fail.
The law further provides that where such a legacy fails due to a beneficiary predeceasing the testator that bequest shall fall into the residue of the testator’s estate. Every will should contain a residue clause providing for the rest, residue and remainder of a person’s estate to pass to specific individuals (residuary legatees). The residuary legatees named in your late uncle’s will will now inherit your late father’s bequest.
There are a number of exceptions to the Doctrine of Lapse however. If the bequest to your late father was in discharge or a legal or moral obligation then such a bequest will not fail but will in fact be payable to the estate of your late father.
Further, in the event that your late uncle’s will provided for the bequest to pass to another person in the event that your father predeceased him then this situation must be honoured.
Other exceptions to the Doctrine of Lapse relate to children of the deceased but are not relevant to your query.
Byrne Carolan Cunningham SOLICITORS
Pictured at Ladies Day at Roscommon Races recently.
Photos: Colin Gillen
Caseys Londis
John Mee • Alex Connolly • Kevin Connolly • Molloy Family GOLD SPONSORS
Liam McNeill • Gerry Gill Autos • Pat Hughes Auctioneers • AOL Design • Derek Harrington Plumbing • Reps. Margaret & John O’Sullivan
• Sean Doyle Windows • Parklawn Tree Services • Nuala Rogers
• John Doorley • Ciaran Byrne • Railway Bar • Staff of CBS • P. Burke
• District Coffee Shop • Seamus Carthy • Roscommon Tyre Centre
BRONZE SPONSORS
Mary Clarke • Ross Shannon • Stephen Lohan • Ann Harlow • CBS Past Pupils Union x2 • Ann Shaughnessy • Michael Finneran • Shane Nerney
• Conor Doyle • Eimear & David O’Connor • Oisin Naughton • Noelle Geoghegan • Brendan Doolan • Sean Cox • Ger Heneghan • Vanessa Gilleran • Mark Finneran • Fergal O’Donnell • Noel Carr • Gerry McGarry William Gacquin • Roscommon Credit Union • Liddy Neilan Solicitors
• Mike Ryan • Frank Durkin • Gary Smith • Amigo International • John Fullard • Seamie Kilroy • Paraic Gates • Ros Chem • Haulie Beirne • Ollie & Susan Hoban • PJ. & Adelaide Carrig • Laura Dempsey • Derek Dolan
• Ann Shaughnessy • Frank Durkin • John Igoe • Kieran ugent • Karyn Grogan • Rachel & Shane O’Donnell • Martin Daly • Sinead Killeen
• Alan & Deirdre Connaughton • Joan O’Grady
CBS Roscommon is deeply grateful to each of our sponsors whose generosity is helping bring the CBS Astro Park to life – delivering a world-class facility for our students, our town, and the wider Roscommon community for generations to come.
We also wish to sincerely thank the many generous individuals and businesses who have contributed amounts outside of the sponsorship packages. Your kindness and support have not gone unnoticed and are every bit as valued and appreciated.
Support the Project – Donate at iDonate.ie Donations also received directly at the school Tel: 090 6626496
CBS Roscommon is delighted to share a significant update on one of the most ambitious projects in the school's recent history: the development of a state-of-the-art all-weather astro turf pitch on the school grounds. After months of planning, fundraising, and preparation, we are proud to say that the finish line is coming into view — and while there is still ground to cover, the progress made has been truly remarkable.
The school has already secured Sports Capital Programme funding in conjunction with Roscommon LGFA— a testament to the hard work and vision of everyone involved. We are now delighted to confirm that works on site are scheduled to commence on Monday, 20th July 2026 — a landmark moment for CBS Roscommon and for everyone who has worked so hard to make this project a reality. Construction of an 80-metre by 55-metre all-weather facility is now in sight, and the fundraising campaign that will see it completed to the highest standard continues at pace.
What This Facility Will Mean for CBS Roscommon
This all-weather pitch will be a game-changer for our students and for the wider community. It will allow year-round training and competition regardless of weather conditions, support our GAA, soccer, rugby, and athletics programmes,
and provide a world-class facility that CBS Roscommon boys — and future generations — will benefit from for decades to come.
This is more than a pitch. It is an investment in the health, wellbeing, and sporting ambition of every young person who walks through our gates and for the entire community of Roscommon.
We Need Your Support — Become a Valued Sponsor
To parents, past pupils, local businesses, friends of CBS Roscommon and Roscommon LGFA supporters: we are calling on your generosity to help us get this project across the line. Every contribution — large or small — brings us one step closer to breaking ground. Our sponsorship tiers offer meaningful recognition for those who invest in this project:
FOLLOW US FOR UPDATES
We will be sharing regular updates on the pitch project, celebrating our sponsors, and marking every milestone along the way.
To stay in the loop, follow CBS Roscommon on social media: Facebook: facebook.com/CBSRoscommon
Instagram: @cbsroscommon
Website: www.cbsroscommon.ie
Every share, every like, and every comment helps spread the word and brings new supporters to this campaign. We would love to see the CBS community — wherever you are in the world — rallying behind this project.
Abby Curran celebrates with supporters after Roscommon’s win over Westmeath in the All-Ireland IFC semi-final in Cavan last Sunday. Photo: Bernie O’Farrell
‘Urgent need’ for more investment in youth work service
Alánna O’Brien and Sonya Naumova, both of Galway, met with Claire Kerrane TD and Senator Gareth Scahill at a special event in Buswells Hotel, Dublin to highlight the urgent need for increased Government investment in youth work services in Budget 2027. The event, organised by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), brought together young people, youth workers and volunteers from across Ire-
land to speak directly to their local Oireachtas members about the impact of youth work in their lives and communities.
Speaking at the event, Alánna O’Brien said: “Youth work is transformative for young people, and it’s great to see politicians engaging with this sector. I hope we can continue to see more of this.”
Sonya Naumova added: “Young people in Galway have so much to say, and to-
day we make sure someone is listening. Youth work is the backbone of our communities, and it deserves real investment.
‘Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí’ – praise the youth and they will flourish.”
NYCI is calling on Government to invest an additional €27.3m in youth work in Budget 2027 to secure the foundations of youth work services across Ireland. The investment would help stabilise existing services and
support safe, accessible youth spaces in communities across Ireland, according to the NYCI.
A survey of NYCI members highlights the growing pressure facing youth work services across Ireland.
Nearly 77% of respondents said they were concerned about having enough funding to provide services over the next 12 months, while 85% reported increased demand in the last six months.
Letter to the Editor HSE report on abortion
Cnoc an Chrochaire, Contae Ros Comáin
Dear Editor,
After more than seven years, the HSE has finally published a 50-page report on abortion that provides only a limited amount of new information, mainly about first-trimester abortions carried out in hospitals, though the vast majority of abortions take place through GPs.
The report, from the pilot stage of collecting more data, also tells us nothing more about abortions carried out where there is a risk to the life or health of the pregnant woman. Similarly, the report gives no details on the 575 babies whose lives were ended following a diagnosis of a life-limiting condition.
There is not even a mention in the report of the fact that babies have been born alive following abortions. The HSE themselves have acknowledged in reply to parliamentary questions that 108 babies survived the procedure but have failed to clarify what treatment and care has been given or withheld in this situation.
More transparency on abortion practices in Ireland is still very much needed.
Yours sincerely, Siobhán Nic Cathail
16th-25th July
Pictured are Claire Kerrane and Alánna O’Brien.
Pictured are Sonya Naumova, Gareth Scahill, Valerie Duffy and Mick Ferron (NYCI CEO).
Treasure Sale in Castlecoote for Hospice care
A new and preloved Treasure Sale in aid of the Hospice will take place on Sunday, July 19th, from 12.30 pm at St Ciaran’s Community Centre, Castlecoote, County Roscommon, F42 KH66.
There will be a wide range of branded and designer items for sale, with all proceeds going to a great cause. All support appreciated.
Lough Ree RNLI to hold volunteer recruitment evenings
Lough Ree RNLI will hold two open evenings this month as part of a drive to recruit new volunteers.
The information events will take place at the RNLI boathouse at Coosan Point at 6.30 pm on Tuesday, July 21st, and Thursday, July 23rd.
Visitors will be able to meet existing station volunteers and find out more about the different positions available.
Roles include lifeboat and shore crew, watersafety education, communications, fundraising and assisting with visits to the station.
More than 40 volunteers currently help provide the station’s round-the-clock search-andrescue service on Lough Ree and the River Shannon.
The RNLI has said previous experience is not required for many of its volunteer positions, with training provided to successful applicants.
Anyone interested in supporting the service is welcome to attend either of the two information evenings.
Infant Mental Health Week marked by event in Roscommon Town
To mark Infant Mental Health Week (June 8th to 14th), Tusla, in collaboration with Roscommon Infant Mental Health (IMH) Forum and CYPSC Roscommon, hosted a number of special events and initiatives across the county to support and strengthen Infant Mental Health practice.
This year’s theme focused on ‘Attunement’ – the ability to tune in and connect with others on an emotional level. It highlights the importance of early relationships in supporting infant wellbeing.
One of the events which took place was an Infant Mental Health Professional Awareness Event, hosted in Hannon’s Hotel in Roscommon. This event, held for a second year running, aims to increase awareness of and education around infant mental health in the county.
A number of keynote speakers presented on this year’s theme of ‘At-
Local water supplies under pressure
Treated water supplies in Boyle, Ardcarne, Ballinameen, Croghan and Cortober under increasing pressure
Uisce Éireann is asking customers across County Roscommon to conserve water as increased use during the current spell of warm weather means supplies are being used faster than water can be treated.
While raw water sources remain stable, the level of demand is placing pressure on the treatment process. This means treated water is being used more quickly than it can be produced and stored in local reservoirs.
Customers supplied by the Boyle/Ardcarne Regional Water Supply Scheme, especially in Boyle, Ardcarne, Grangemore, Croghan, Cortober, Ballinameen, Ballymore, and surrounding areas are being encouraged to reduce usage where possible to allow treated water reservoirs time to recover. This will help maintain a consistent supply for homes and businesses across the county.
Periods of sustained high demand can lead to reduced pressure and, in some cases, interruptions to the availability of water for customers. Simple steps taken at home, in the garden, and at work can collectively make a real difference in protecting supply.
Uisce Éireann’s Ger Greally said: “Our teams are working around the clock to maintain water supplies across County Roscommon and are currently producing very significant volumes of drinking water every day to meet demand. While every effort is being made to avoid additional measures, we may need to consider temporary overnight restrictions to help protect daytime supplies if demand remains exceptionally high.
“We are asking customers to help by reducing non-essential water use wherever possible. Small changes made by households, businesses, sporting clubs, community groups and visitors can collectively make a significant difference and help protect supplies for everyone.”
tunement’ – and how to support it within various settings – both acute and within the local community.
Anne Marie Kenny, Chairperson of Roscommon IMH Forum, explained that the focus this year is on supporting the parent-child relationship in adverse circumstances, where challenges exist to the natural parent-child attachment, such as where there is substance misuse, children with additional needs, or a parental mental health issue.
Topics included infant mental health fundamentals, pre- and postbirth supports, and a workshop on parental wellbeing. The event also highlighted new initiatives and programmes available in Roscommon that support infant mental health, and the practical supports that are available to parents on the ground. There was also an emphasis on the role of multi-disciplinary initiatives in how best to support ‘Par-
ent-Child Attunement’, a strong ethos for County Roscommon past and present.
The event was well attended by professionals from HSE acute services, Tusla, together with staff from funded agencies supporting families in County Roscommon such as Family Resource Centres and Roscommon LEADER Partnership. An Garda Síochána were also present.
Louise Moran, Roscommon CYPSC Coordinator, said: “This event was a great opportunity to promote the importance of infant mental health in our communities.
“There are practical ways that parents can avail of resources and lots of information available to support their babies in their early development as they form close bonds and connections to their parents and families.” Online resources are available on westbewell.ie by searching Infant Mental Health Resources.
Roscommon County Council has decided to close the roads set out in the schedule hereunder for the periods and the reason specified.
Reason for Closures: To facilitate Roscommon Town Realm Project
Mark Keaveney Director of Services Economic, Planning and Physical Development
Attendees pictured at the recent Infant Mental Health Awareness Event in Roscommon Town.
Rebecca Colohan (Coordinator, Antenatal Hubs Roscommon/Galway), Justin Gleeson (Clinical Midwife Specialist in Addiction Health), Nuala Heverin (Parental Educator, Portiuncula Antenatal Services), and Fiona Gilmore (Midwife Postnatal Hub, Roscommon) pictured at the recent Infant Mental Health Awareness Event in Roscommon Town.
Anne Marie Kenny (Project Leader), Louise Moran (CYPSC Coordinator, Roscommon), and Katie Carthy (Tusla Liaison Sergeant), pictured at the recent Infant Mental Health Awareness Event in Roscommon Town.
SATURDAY
In Mayo for the match
We arrived in Mayo, where the locals were still coming to terms with the sporting serendipity fate has served up this summer season.
Now they were within a couple of hours of finding out if there is still lingering beauty and mystery in this unexpected championship odyssey – or if fellow long-suffering prospectors Louth would bring their audacious march to an end.
Nobody expected Mayo to be resuming their quest for the Sam Maguire Cup this year, but Andy Moran is beginning to resemble a man who missed school when the phrase ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ was being discussed.
With some golf planned in Ballina, we were spending the weekend in a very nice apartment beside the Woollen Mills in Foxford. We were in the heart of Mayo, and probably not far from its soul either… well, its sporting soul that is, Gaelic football being some version of religion in these parts.
Kobe & the Cowboy
I had booked a table for dinner in Foxford’s only hotel, and now wanted to find a bar where four Rossies could discreetly watch Mayo play Louth for a place in this year’s All-Ireland final. (I still think having an All-Ireland final in July is an affront to decency – common or otherwise – every bit as objectionable as Christmas starting in the first week of November, as now decreed by the shameless Gods of Retail Marketing).
We settled on my first choice (of pub), though it was fairly packed. Six or seven Mayo men sat in a row of stools behind a pool table, not unlike that famous image of workers sitting on a steel beam protruding from a skyscraper in New York. The nerves were probably of a similar scale. A couple beside us were kitted out in Mayo colours. My cover was blown in no time. For some reason the man asked if I was from Louth; I offered
PAUL HEALY’S WEEK
A (mostly) light-hearted look at the week that was…
paul@roscommonpeople.ie
up the dramatic reality – ‘Roscommon’. They found this very amusing! Standing over a pool table – without a cue – is no fun, so when a table became available at the far end of the bar, we moved with the speed and cunning of Kobe (that’s what they call him in Mayo – ‘Kobe’ is sufficient).
Across from us, a craggy-faced man wore a stetson, and he wore it with an air of confidence – the sort of confident air you should emit if presenting prominently in a packed pub in such eye-catching attire.
Meanwhile, on the various TVs, Mayo and Louth were fighting for their dreams. Darragh Beirne’s scrambled goal just before half-time felt important, giving Andy Moran’s dreamers a four-point lead.
By the 50th minute or so, it had developed into an unlikely stroll. Louth had run out of gas after an eventful season, and couldn’t muster a score for most of the second half. Mayo were pumped up all over the pitch, their hunger yielding countless turnovers, fast attacks bearing fruit, Louth powerless to halt the rhythm of this game. At times the bar went quiet, the ‘Mayos’ surprised at how easy this was, reserving their
fervour now for special moments – like the third goal, or a Kobe score.
Long before the end, the craggy-faced man with the cowboy hat and I exchanged glances; we knew there would be no need to send in a posse today.
Meanwhile in Miami…
I still hadn’t looked into the heart (and soul) of Mayo GAA supporters, despite being in Mayo GAA heartland for the match. That was yet to come (read on).
Over Dinner, there was no post-game atmosphere of note. Now the sporting focus had moved to Miami, where England beat Norway in an incidentpacked World Cup quarter-final. As with Mayo, the dream of ending a long famine lives on. Watching on as a Rossie, I still wasn’t sure if I had fully come to terms with how I feel about the onward march of Mayo and England.
SUNDAY
A Sunday stroll
Foxford is a nice, friendly town, famous for its Woollen Mills (in Ulysses, James Joyce said of the Foxford tweeds… ‘Nothing like it in the whole
wide world!’).
On Sunday morning, two of our party were playing golf in Ballina, where the weather was fabulous. Fiona and I instead went for a drive, stopping off at the beach in Pontoon, where a sizeable crowd was savouring the glorious sunshine. (Before leaving on Monday, we called into Foxford Woollen Mills, which was brimming with tourists, and is well worth visiting).
Heart and soul
Watching Dublin v Kerry in another of Foxford’s pubs, we finally made the connection with the down-to-earth (and long-suffering) Mayo GAA supporter.
Now I looked into their heart – and soul – and I felt their hurt, their hopes, their modified expectations, their dormant (but living) dreams. But first, I ordered two pints for myself and my father-in-law, and we kept to ourselves, the drama beginning on a screen above us.
The four men at the counter were what I needed to see, especially if I was to reconcile my position on Mayo’s march in this year of such promise for Roscommon. It is easy to say you will
support your neighbours once your own county is gone; sometimes people say it, but don’t mean it. Did I know my own position? These four Mayo men would provide me with the answer.
They were all Mayo supporters. They were all a little bit beyond middle-aged, one or two veering towards ‘elderly’. They had slightly weather-beaten faces, and great GAA knowledge. Each of them clasped a pint. They had a view on every twist in the game, and they were loving every minute of this Sunday afternoon. What a privilege to be already in the final while two heavyweights battle for the honour you already have safety tucked into your grasp.
It was 20 minutes into the first half when the four-man full-forward line at the counter finally swivelled and engaged us. “Ye’re not from Kerry, by any chance?” one of them asked. We released the bombshell. “Roscommon”. Their eyes lit up. Over the next while, we discussed nearly every town and village in Roscommon, a few mutual friends, and lots more besides. We criticised officiating calls, had some banter about the Ballaghaderreen GAA border issue, and reviewed Roscommon’s tepid championship exit and Mayo’s unlikely surge to the final. They wanted Dublin to win because they thought Mayo would have a better chance against them in the final. They feared Kerry might hammer them, but a few minutes later they’d drift into the language of ‘… still, you never know’. They were humble, friendly, knowledgeable, salt of the earth. One of them spoke of the sheer fear he used to feel on marking Tony McManus in Connacht club games.
When it was all over, we shook hands and wished them well, and said we hoped Mayo win the final. I know I meant it, which is probably how I always feel when Connacht is represented in the final by Mayo or Galway. But I was certain now. I had looked into the heart and soul of the Mayo GAA Man – and I want him to get the ultimate day in the sun.
5km water main upgrade underway in Cloonfad
Uisce Éireann has commenced essential upgrade works to replace more than 5km of ageing water mains in Cloonfad, County Roscommon, delivering a more reliable water supply for local homes and businesses.
The works will address a series of disruptive bursts that have impacted customers in recent years, helping to restore confidence in the local water supply and support the community into the future.
As part of Uisce Éireann’s National Leakage Reduction Programme, the works between Cloonfad and Lowberry Cross will strengthen the local network and directly tackle recurring burst issues.
Uisce Éireann says this significant investment in the area will deliver a more secure and dependable water supply for the community, supporting homes, businesses and future growth.
In a press statement, Uisce Éireann said the project will benefit customers in Cloonfad and surrounding areas, including Meeltraun, Clogher Upper, Derrylahan and Ballinross, Moigh Lower, Tonregee and Mount Delvin, as well
as those connected to the Johnstown/ Levalleyroe Group Water Scheme.
Marking the commencement of the upgrade works, Enda Mac Namara (Programme Manager with Uisce Éireann) said, “We’re delighted to have commenced these essential works in Cloonfad. We understand how frustrating ongoing bursts and disruptions have been for local residents and businesses, and these works are a direct response to those challenges. This investment will make a real difference to daily life in the area by providing a more reliable water supply. We appreciate the patience and support of the community as these works continue.”
The project will be delivered by Farrans Construction and will be complete by spring 2027. As part of the upgrade, lane closures with traffic lights will be in place on sections of the R327 to allow construction to be carried out safely. Customers can phone Uisce Éireann on 1800 278 278 if they have any questions about the project or visit the Water Supply Updates section of the Uisce Éireann website for regular updates.
Drivers advised of temporary road closures across Roscommon
Motorists are being advised to allow additional time for journeys due to a number of temporary road closures across County Roscommon.
In the Athlone operational area, sections of the R362 at Curraghboy and Rahara may close at various times until Friday, July 17th, to facilitate road improvements.
Diversions for the Curraghboy works are operating through the L-2018, N61, R446 and R362. Traffic affected by the Rahara works is being diverted through the L-2013, R357 and N63.
In the Castlerea operational area, closures are affecting the L6622 at Derrlahan, L6671 at Gorteenacammaadi, L66184 at Pollaphuca, L6619 at Pollanalty West and L6625 at Pollanalty East until Friday.
Local diversions are in operation and access is being maintained for residents and emergency services.
Separately, the L-7062 between Kilteevan and Cloonmurly is closed until August 14 for bridge rehabilitation. Traffic is being diverted through the N63, L-1806 and L-7098.
Countdown to the Great Glinsk Run on July 25 next
Following the tremendous success of last year’s inaugural event, which saw more than 600 runners and walkers take to the roads of Glinsk, the Great Glinsk Run returns on Saturday, July 25th 2026, with an even bigger and better event planned.
The race begins at 6 pm, with registration open from 4 pm. Eircode is F45 PX24. Participants can choose from four events: the 10k run, 5k run, 5k walk, or 2.5k walk.
This year, organisers are delighted to welcome Tribal Running, who will provide professional chip timing for all runners, ensuring accurate race results. Every participant will receive a commemorative Great Glinsk Run medal, and refreshments will be available after the event.
The organisers are honoured to welcome the wonderfully talented Aoife and Lisa O’Rourke (international boxers) as special guests,
and they can be assured of a very warm Glinsk welcome.
The event promises to be a fantastic family day out, with live music, plenty of craic, and a variety of food vendors serving delicious local produce.
The celebrations will continue afterwards in The Glencastle Lounge, with music by Matt Keane (of the famous Keane family of musicians) who will be joined on stage by Colm Naughton on banjo and Maria Fahy on fiddle.
The Great Glinsk Run is a vital fundraiser supporting the continued development of the Glinsk Community Centre campus, with all proceeds going directly towards ongoing community projects.
To register, simply scan the QR code on the promotional poster or search Great Glinsk Run on Facebook.
For further information, please contact race marshal Aiden Brennan on 086 325 0466.
Enda Mac Namara (Programme Manager, Uisce Éireann) pictured with Conor Tiernan (Assistant Project Manager, Uisce Éireann) onsite in Cloonfad, where works have commenced to replace more than 5km of ageing water mains.
Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival 2026
Nine days of music, theatre and culture at Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival
Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival will return this August with nine days of music, theatre, literature, comedy, visual art and community events taking place at venues throughout the town.
Running from Saturday, August 1st to Sunday, August 9th, this year’s programme combines leading national performers with local artists, musicians, actors and community groups.
The festival will begin with RTÉ broadcaster and journalist Miriam O’Callaghan in conversation with Mary Cunniffe at Durkin’s on the Square at 2 pm on Saturday, August 1st.
The discussion will draw on O’Callaghan’s memoir, Miriam, and her lengthy career covering major political, social and national events.
Ballaghaderreen Players will take to the stage at St Nathy’s College on August 1st, 2nd and 3rd with their production of Brian Friel’s much-loved play Dancing at Lughnasa. Performances
will begin at 7.30 pm each evening.
The opening weekend will also include a free workshop and performance by the Totally Made-Up Orchestra, a series of ukulele workshops and a Ukulele Fleadh on the Square.
Local author Haulie Grady will discuss his new book, I Wonder if I Had Turned Right, with Christy McCann at Durkin’s on Sunday, August 2nd. Documentary maker and author Frank Shouldice will appear at the same venue on Monday, August 3rd.
Families will be well catered for throughout the week, with Broken Theatre Circus returning to the Fair Green for performances on August 4th, 5th and 6th.
Children’s author Patricia Forde will meet young readers aged five and over at the library in Dillon House on Saturday, August 8th at 11.30 am.
A busy visual arts programme will run alongside the live events. The Community Arts Exhibition will be staged at the Phoenix
Councillor for the Boyle area Contact me with any issues on 086 3325839 or cllrlcallaghan@roscommoncoco.ie Your Local Representative!
Centre from August 1st to 9th, following its official opening on July 31st.
The Mix Pix exhibition will celebrate the photography of the late Mick McCormack at the library in Dillon House from August 4th to 8th.
Works by Conor O’Connell, Marita O’Hanlon, Simon Culleton, Eithne Gallagher and Margaret Rattigan will also be displayed at Mulligan’s on Main Street during the festival.
O’Connell will exhibit memorabilia associated
with the well-known Ballaghaderreen business Monica Duff & Co Ltd, marking the 40th anniversary of its closure in 1986.
Music will be at the heart of the programme, with Altan and The Toweys performing at St Nathy’s Cathedral on Wednesday, August 5th. Songwriter and pianist Phil Coulter will appear at the cathedral the following evening, accompanied by the Ballaghaderreen Children’s Choir.
Other musical events will include By the Light of the Silvery Moon, featuring
Aindrias de Staic, Aisling Lyons and Brian Fleming, at St Nathy’s College on Tuesday, August 4th.
Classical music will feature on Friday, August 7th, when the ConTempo String Quartet will perform at St Nathy’s College alongside clarinettist John Finucane, the Cathedral Choir and fellow musicians.
Theatre will return to Edmondstown House during the final weekend, where Noël Coward’s comedy Blithe Spirit will be performed between August 7th and 9th.
Edmondstown House will also host ABBA tribute act Abbaesque, supported by local group Voyager, on Saturday, August 8th.
The festival will conclude with a stand-up comedy night on Sunday, August 9th, featuring Colm O’Regan and Gar Curran, with Roscommon comedian Sharon Mannion acting as compère.
A major climate action conference entitled The Future of Our Children’s World will be held at St Nathy’s College on Friday, August 7th.
The full-day event will bring together speakers working in public health, sustainability, renewable energy, education and community development. Contributors will include Dr Mike Ryan, former Executive Director of the World Health Organisation’s Health Emergencies Programme, and former Chief Medical Officer Professor Breda Smyth.
The full festival programme and ticket information are available through the Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival website.
Phil Coulter, Altan and Miriam O’Callaghan lead festival line-up
Legendary songwriter Phil Coulter, traditional music group Altan and broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan are among the headline names confirmed for the 2026 Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival.
The festival will run from Saturday, August 1st to Sunday, August 9th, with its leading events taking place at St Nathy’s Cathedral, St Nathy’s College, Durkin’s and Edmondstown House.
One of the main highlights will be a special concert by Phil Coulter and the Ballaghaderreen Children’s Choir at St Nathy’s Cathedral on Thursday, August 6th at 7.30 pm.
Coulter’s career as a songwriter, pianist and performer has spanned more than five decades. His catalogue includes The Town I Loved So Well, Scorn Not His Simplicity and Ireland’s Call, as well as international hits such as Eurovision winner Puppet on a String and Cliff Richard’s Congratulations
The Ballaghaderreen concert will bring Coulter together with young local singers for an evening celebrating his best-known music and the next generation of talent.
Traditional Irish music will take centre stage at the cathedral one night earlier when internation-
ally acclaimed group Altan perform with The Toweys on Wednesday, August 5th at 7.30 pm.
Led by Donegal fiddle player and vocalist Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Altan have brought the music and songs of Donegal to audiences around the world. They will be joined in Ballaghaderreen by the Towey family from Kilmovee, who will open the evening with a showcase of traditional music from the local area.
The festival’s headline programme will begin on Saturday, August 1st when Miriam O’Callaghan appears in conversation with Mary Cunniffe at Durkin’s on the Square at 2 pm.
One of Ireland’s most recognisable journalists and broadcasters, O’Callaghan has spent decades covering elections, referendums and major events through her work with RTÉ.
Her Ballaghaderreen appearance will explore her broadcasting career, family life and some of the experiences featured in her memoir, Miriam. Storytelling and traditional music will come together in By the Light of the Silvery Moon at St Nathy’s College on Tuesday, August 4th at 8 pm.
The 90-minute performance will feature actor, storyteller and musician Aindrias de Staic on fiddle, accompanied by Aisling Lyons on harp and Brian Fleming on percussion.
Popular music will be represented during the final weekend when Abbaesque appear at Edmondstown House on Saturday, August 8th.
The tribute act will perform a selection of ABBA favourites, with support provided by emerging local group Voyager.
Edmondstown House will also host the festival’s closing stand-up comedy night on Sunday, August 9th at 8 pm.
Comedians Colm O’Regan and Gar Curran will take to the stage, with Roscommon’s Sharon Mannion acting as compère for the evening.
Classical music fans can look forward to a concert by the ConTempo String Quartet at St Nathy’s College on Friday, August 7th at 7.30 pm.
The programme will also feature clarinettist John Finucane, the Cathedral Choir and fellow musicians Vovo, Ivan and Valentin.
The complete programme and booking information are available through the Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival website.
Pictured at the 2025 Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival. Photo: Michael Finan
FRIDAY 31ST JULY
7.00pm Opening of Community Arts Group exhibition at The Phoenix Centre. FREE. [Open from Noon to 6pm every day throughout the Festival]
SATURDAY 1ST AUGUST
2.00pm Durkin’s. RTE’s Miriam O’ Callaghan in Conversation with Mary Cunniffe. €15*
3.30pm Totally made-up Orchestra. Bring along a musical instrument. FREE
7.30pm St Nathy’s College. Ballaghaderreen Players present ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’. €18*
5.00pm Eroc Centre, Kilcolman: `Revolution’. €10, (Numbers limited to 50. Book on Ticket Tailor)
8.00pm St Nathy’s College: `By the Light of the Silvery Moon’, 90 minutes of storytelling and music with Aindreas de Staic [fiddle], Brian Fleming [percussion], and Aisling Lyons [harp]. €20*
WEDNESDAY 5TH AUGUST
From 10am Library. Dillon House. `Mix Pix’ exhibition. FREE
3.30pm Durkins. Conor O’Connell painting workshop. €10* 5.00pm Eroc Centre, Kilcolman: `Revolution’ production. €10, (Numbers limited to 50. Book on Ticket Tailor). 7.30pm Trad Night at the Cathedral. With The Toweys, then Altan; €25*
THURSDAY
6TH AUGUST
12noon Durkins. `A Stroll Through European Art’, with Pete Meagher. Free.
1.00pm Library. Dillon House. `Mix Pix’ exhibition. FREE 3.00pm Fair Green. Broken Theatre Circus. €20* (child €15*) Family 2 adults, 2 children, €60* 3.30pm Poets Mike Jennings and Gerry Boland in Conversation with Mary Finan. €10*
5.00pm Eroc Centre, Kilcolman: `Revolution’ production. €10*, (Numbers limited to 50. Book on Ticket Tailor). 7.30pm The Cathedral. Children’s Choir, followed at 8pm by Phil Coulter. €25* and €40*
FRIDAY
7TH AUGUST
9.00am St Nathy’s College. All day Climate Conference. 10.00am Library. Dillon House. `Mix Pix’ exhibition. FREE 7.00pm Edmondstown House. Noel’s Coward’s `Blithe Spirit’ €20*
7.30pm St Nathy’s College. Cathedral choir, with Vovo, Ivan, and Valentin at St Nathy’s College, followed by the ConTempo String Quartet playing two quintets [on clarinet, two violins, viola, and cello] by Mozart and Weber, with solo performance by John Finucane [Principal Clarinet with Ireland’s RTE National Symphony Orchestra from 1995] on clarinet. €20*
SATURDAY 8TH AUGUST
10.00am Library, Dillon House. `Mix Pix’ exhibition. FREE 11.30am Library, Dillon House. `The art of children’s books’, for younger readers [5+], with children’s author Patricia Forde, Laureate na nÓg 2023-2026. FREE, but numbers restricted.
Session A: 11.30am to 12.10pm.
Session B: 12.20pm to 1.00pm. One adult per child/family. Please book on Ticket Tailor.
3.00pm. Edmondstown House. `Blithe Spirit’. €20* 8.00pm. Edmondstown House. Stand-Up Comedy Night, with Sharon Mannion, Colm O’Regan, Gar Murran, and friends. €20*
* Booking Fee Applies
Community briefing sessions on future of Ballyleague and Lanesborough
< JOE O’BRIEN
If we keep doing things the way we’ve always done them, we know where it leads!
It leads to more people leaving our area, fewer opportunities for young people, more division between groups competing for limited resources, and an economy that struggles to grow.
Doing nothing isn’t the safe option anymore. It’s the one option that guarantees more population decline, more social division and continued economic stagnation.
That’s why a group of local volunteers, businesses and community organisations has been working together to create a new Ballyleague-Lanesborough Community Development Council.
This isn’t about creating another committee. It’s about creating one strong community organisation that can bring people together, attract investment, secure funding, develop local projects and make sure our towns have a voice in shaping their own future.
Facilitated through the EU Just Transition Programme, the aim is to build an
organisation that belongs to the community and works for the community. Its job will be to help deliver projects that improve everyday life, whether that’s better tourism, supporting local businesses, improving recreation and amenities, protecting our environment, strengthening community facilities or creating new opportunities for future generations.
Over recent months, representatives from community groups, businesses and local volunteers have been meeting to design how this organisation
Kerrane says Minister Foley must provide funding for Tusla
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Children, Claire Kerrane TD, has again called on Minister Foley to provide funding to Tusla to properly fund the Community & Voluntary Residential Care Sector.
Deputy Kerrane was speaking after the Children’s Residential and Aftercare Voluntary Association (CRAVA) appeared before the Children’s Committee, following her request to hear from them on what she called the “crisis” within the residential care sector.
Speaking afterwards, Deputy Kerrane said:
“If the Minister for Children does not ensure that Tusla receives enough funding to allow it to pay the Voluntary and Community Residential Care Sector enough to simply run themselves, it is ‘game over’ for this not-for-profit sector.
“This will hand the entire residential care service for children in the care of the State to for-profit providers, who are already the majority in terms of providing these services.
“We cannot allow this to happen. Currently, the voluntary and community sector who have decades of experience in the sector, are on their knees in terms of funding.
“They are not receiving enough funding from Tusla to run their services – and that’s nothing extra – it’s simply to run their service for the children that call their service home.
“In comparison, the private providers name their price and receive more funding.
“This is not the fault of Tusla, this is the funding being made available by the Department of Children in the first place.
“In committee, I sought that we write to the Minister to seek this additional funding be made available in Budget 2027 to ensure we can sustain the not-for-profit model of residential care for children who are in the care of the State.
“This model must be retained and grown. The Minister must hear the alarm bells ringing. We cannot lose the notfor-profit model of residential care. This is a model worth protecting.”
should work. They have also looked at successful community development companies across Ireland to learn what works and what doesn’t.
The next step is simple – to talk to the wider community. Just Transition Activator Colm Croffy is inviting up to three officers from every club and organisation – especially those affiliated to the County Councils – to attend one of a series of short briefing clinics.
These sessions are not about telling people what has already been decided. They are about explaining the proposal,
answering questions, listening to concerns and making sure local people help shape the final organisation. Every question is welcome. Every concern matters.
Briefing clinics
The briefing clinics will take place as follows: The first one will be held from 10 am to 8 pm on Tuesday, July 21st, in St Faithleach’s GAA Clubhouse. The second one will be held from 10 am to 8 pm on Wednesday, July 22nd, in St
Mary’s Parish Hall. The third one will be held from 2 pm to 7 pm on Tuesday, July 28th, in Lanesborough Library. Appointments last approximately 25 minutes and are available by pre-booking with email to ccroffy@Longfordcoco.ie, with an additional drop-in hour at each venue. Members of the working group will attend alongside the Just Transition Activator.
Following the briefings, facilitated Community Organisation Re-imagining Workshops are planned for late September. Priority for workshop places will be given to those who attended a briefing session.
Anyone unable to attend a clinic can arrange an online Teams briefing with Colm Croffy by emailing cccroffy@ longfordcoco.ie or texting 086 206 6597 before August 7th.
The future of Ballyleague and Lanesborough won’t be decided by someone else. It will be decided by the people who choose to get involved.
*Joe O’Brien is a businessman in Lanesborough and a community activist in Ballyleague-Lanesborough
Pictured supporting Roscommon in their LGFA All-Ireland IFC semi-final against Westmeath last Sunday were (l-r) Aisling Feely, Pauline Feely, Rosa Kelly, Aisling Feely and Maura Feely. Photo: Bernie O’Farrell
NewsPeople
newsbriefs
Mass at Athleague Holy Well
The annual Mass at Cluain Patrick, Athleague’s Holy Well, will be celebrated at 7 pm on Friday, July 17th. Cemetery Sunday at Derrane Cemetery
Cemetery Sunday will be held at Derrane Cemetery on Sunday, July 26th at 12 noon. The annual collection for maintenance of the cemetery will be held on that day. Kilcroan Graveyard clean-up update
Sincere thanks are extended to everyone who helped clean Kilcroan Graveyard last Sunday. Working in the heat was not easy, but a great job was done, and it is thanks to these efforts that the graveyard continues to look so tidy. The next clean-up will take place on Sunday, August 9th. This will be the final clean-up before the annual Cemetery Mass, which takes place at 3 pm on Sunday, August 16th. Great work has also been carried out recently on the graveyard wall, and sincere thanks are extended to John Hegarty and Shay Morgan for power washing and preparing the wall, as well as to Frank Hanley of the Ballymoe Community Employment Scheme for painting it, with assistance from Hope. The work has brightened up the entrance beautifully. The digital mapping of the graveyard has also begun, and thanks are extended to Tom McTague, Helen Joyce, Rosaleen Timothy and Aidan Conboy for their assistance with this work. Once the project is complete, a new updated graveyard map will be erected. Further details will follow in due course.
Scramogue Cemetery Mass
Scramogue Cemetery Mass will take place on Sunday, July 26th at 11.30 am. A collection will be taken up on the day for the upkeep of the cemetery. All welcome.
Summer outing
A summer outing will take place on Monday, July 20th to Poor Clare Sisters, Drumshanbo, The Shed Distillery, Drumshanbo, and Arigna Mining Experience. Coach leaving Sacred Heart Church car park, Roscommon Town at 9 am. Contact Tom Beirne on 086 3861954 for further details. Everyone welcome.
Cemetery Sunday in Cloontuskert
Cemetery Sunday will be celebrated in Cloontuskert Cemetery on Sunday, August 9th at 6 pm.
Leyden attends National Day of Commemoration
Former politician Terry Leyden (Castlecoote, Roscommon), now the Honorary Consul of Azerbaijan in Ireland, recently attended the National Day of Commemoration ceremony at the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, Dublin.
The event, which took place on Sunday, July 12th, was held to commemorate all Irishmen and Irishwomen who died in past wars, and in military service with the United Nations or other international organisations in the service of peace.
Leyden was accompanied by Gunel Salimova, Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in London. The ceremony was also attended by President Catherine Connolly, the Taoiseach and various Government/ Oireachtas members.
Tributes paid to Athlone teenager who died in Lough Ree tragedy
Tributes have been paid to Athlone teenager
Martin Greene, who died after getting into difficulty while swimming in Lough Ree last weekend.
Martin, aged 15 and from Brawny Close in Athlone, is remembered as a talented footballer and a much-loved son, brother, teammate and friend.
Gardaí and emergency services responded to reports of a person in difficulty in the water off Carnakilla Point at Portlick, near Glasson, shortly after 7.30 pm on Saturday evening.
A search operation was launched and the youth was recovered from the water a short time later. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
His remains were taken to the mortuary at
Mullingar Hospital, where a post-mortem examination was arranged. A file will be prepared for the Coroner.
The emergency response involved Gardaí, the ambulance service, the Irish Coast Guard and the Lough Ree RNLI inshore lifeboat. Coast Guard helicopter Rescue 118 also attended the incident.
Martin’s heartbroken mother, Yvonne, paid tribute to her son in a social media post, writing: “My poor baby. I love you. My heart is broken, son.”
St Francis FC in Athlone said everyone associated with the club was “utterly devastated” to learn of Martin’s death. Martin had joined the club several years ago and was captain of its U-15 team last season.
The club described him as a quiet leader who led by example both on and off the pitch, through his hard work. He was also one of the team’s leading goalscorers and was named the coaches’ Player of the Season.
“More importantly, Martin was a polite, respectful and a lovely young man,” the club said.
St Francis FC said it would do everything possible to support Martin’s family and teammates during the difficult days ahead. Offering its sincere condolences to Yvonne and Martin’s extended family, the club concluded its tribute with the words associated with his beloved Liverpool FC: ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone.’
Pictured attending the recent National Day of Commemoration ceremony in Dublin were Gunel Salimova (Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in London) and Terry Leyden (Honorary Consul of Azerbaijan in Ireland).
FRANK BRANDON
FRANK BRANDON’S unique take on life ...
Well done to Crumlin’s Pico Lopes
Frank compares the heroics of Crumlin’s Pico Lopes to Conor McGregor’s ill-fated return to the ring, highlights Creggs’ upcoming All-Ireland ticket draws, gives his verdict on a dramatic AllIreland football semi-final weekend, and more!
Way back in our childhood days, for some reason I supported Shamrock Rovers, while my slightly elder brother, the Rasher, was a fan of the Bit of Red, Sligo Rovers. And to some degree I have followed the famous green and whites (Shamrock Rovers) ever since.
Many times back in the late 1960s when I was a fledgling bank clerk in Dublin, I joined the thousands of supporters who used to flock to Rovers’ games in their old ground in Milltown. Local derbies against Bohs, or Pat’s, or Shelbourne would literally be packed to the rafters. Safety measures back
Luck of the draw
Out here in Creggs, the local GAA club has a fantastic draw for All-Ireland tickets for both the hurling and football finals.
The fact that we have Galway in the hurling and Mayo in the football is great news for all Connacht people. There can be no doubt that tickets for both games will be as scarce as hens’ teeth, making his draw hugely attractive.
You can win two tickets, plus a night’s stay – including breakfast – in the four-star Gibson Hotel on Saturday night. Tickets are €10, €20 for three, and €50 for eight lines, and the proceeds will go towards the stand development at our pitch. You can purchase online at creggsgaa. ie, or from any committee member.
The hurling tickets draw takes place this Thursday night at 10 pm, so you mightn’t have much time to read this bit beforehand, but you’re still in plenty of time to get your football draw tickets as that draw takes place the following Thursday night, also at 10 pm. So good luck to you all – I hope you win the prize… although maybe not, as I’d like to win the hurling ones!
then were hardly thought of, and the crowd would be packed like sardines in a tin.
Around that time, Waterford were a dominant force in the League of Ireland. They had household names in their ranks like Alfie Hale, Johnny Matthews, and goalkeeper Peter Thomas. Any time they came to Glenmalure Park (the name of the grounds in Milltown), it would be bedlam. I can still see myself walking for what seemed like miles amongst huge numbers of supporters, all making our way to the game.
One of the biggest names playing for Rovers at the time was a striker called Mick Leech, who achieved the unusual distinction of getting eight full international caps while a League of Ireland footballer.
In 1972, he played against Portugal in a friendly match, and the legend that was Eusebio asked him to swap jerseys. However, the FAI had only one set, so he couldn’t do it – something he has always regretted!
In the early-to-mid-1970s, he transferred to Waterford at the same time that myself and the Rasher were al-
most professional players with Ennis Rugby Club. On the train going back to Dublin one Monday morning, as the two of us recovered from a heavy night on the town after a game, he was travelling back to Dublin after playing for Waterford the day before. And there and then, upon meeting Mick Leech, we found out the difference between him and us.
In fairness, he was lovely and we had a great chat, but the way he looked after himself diet-wise and health-wise – eating all the right foods and doing all the proper exercises – was an eye opener. He was definitely ahead of his time!
As for myself and the Rasher, we decided that since we were really only semi-professional, there was no point in us following his example, and happily continued on our chosen paths. Anyway that was years ago, and in truth I haven’t followed Rovers that closely over the last few years. But nevertheless, I was very aware of their captain Pico Lopes – and after his heroics at the World Cup for our new favourite team, Cape Verde, he is now a footballing legend; one who will hope-
fully grace our football pitches and our TV screens for a long time to come!
From everything we know and see about Pico (who was born and bred in Crumlin), he seems to be a very normal and grounded person who will surely carve out a top career in either football or media, but many might not realise he almost missed out entirely on his international football call-up!
Apparently the Cape Verde manager sent him a message in Portuguese on LinkedIn, but as Pico didn’t speak the language, he thought it was all a cod and ignored it. Nine months later, the manager sent him a message in English, asking Pico to join up with their team – and the rest is history!
Sports people at the top level have the privilege of either being role models or otherwise, and thankfully most of them choose the former.
However, one who has gone the other way is Conor McGregor. He recently enjoyed great press publicity in America over his comeback fight, which took place on Saturday night and was his first in five years. But after all that wait it didn’t last too long (only 69 seconds) before a ruptured ACL forced
A western double?
Up to now I have deliberately made no mention of the GAA’s football championship, but after the events of last weekend I feel I have to say my piece.
The remarkable performance by Mayo on Saturday, when they pulverised poor Louth in the first semi-final, proves that youth is the only way forward – and in my opinion (although it’s usually wrong) they are more than capable of beating a hugely overrated Kerry team.
As I write this on Monday morning, it is universally accepted that three major calls (two resulting in Kerry goals, and one resulting in the Dubs not getting a goal) were all wrong, and on the face of it they arguably cost Ger Brennan’s men a place in the All-Ireland final.
It is an accepted fact that referees can make mistakes at critical times (Galway supporters will never forget the terrible and vital free Sean Hurson gave against John Daly in the 2022 final against Kerry). However the job of the umpire is simple – all they have to do is see if it’s a score or not!
And yet sometimes it’s a split-second decision – as in the case of both umpiring errors on Sunday – so obviously goal-line technology is needed.
Whether the Dubs would’ve definitely won is something we will never know, but I certainly think Andy Moran will fancy his team’s chances of ending a 75year gap and bringing Sam back to Mayo.
What a fairytale it would be if young Kobe McDonald has an All-Ireland medal in his back pocket as he heads off to Australia for a professional career as a footballer.
The Rossies showed how youth can be the way forward, and they will fancy their chances next year. I only hope Galway manager Pádraic Joyce follows suit and brings in some new young fresh faces who, like Kobe and Darragh Beirne, can play without fear or inhibition.
To cap off a great weekend of football, what about Wicklow’s 13-point comeback to beat Down (football’s equivalent of the Cork hurlers) to win the Tailteann Cup, and also qualify for next year’s race for the Sam Maguire? For those who used to say the Tailteann Cup was a meaningless competition, the scenes in Aughrim last evening when the team arrived home with the cup
showed how wrong they were! The great crowds that turned up to meet the players showed how much this win meant to all of Wicklow.
The great thing about sport is there is always another day, and the footballers of Down and the hurlers of Cork, despite unexpected second-half collapses in big games, will both start out next year on a level playing field, and both will have another go at putting everything right.
I still believe the Cork hurlers are right up there, and if Galway win next Sunday, I wouldn’t begrudge Cork a Liam MacCarthy triumph in the next year or two. What a weekend we just had in Croke Park, and wouldn’t a Western double be something else?
the referee to call a halt. Hopefully the man who once was a hero to so many Irish people, before managing to turn almost everyone against him with his arrogance and appalling conduct, will pull the plug on his career and disappear from view.
McGregor is reputed to be a billionaire. As a Shamrock Rovers player, it’s safe to assume that Pico Lopez isn’t, but it’s also safe to assume that Pico now enjoys a much higher standing with the Irish people than the self-proclaimed Notorious.
Up Cape Verde!
And finally…
On Friday morning last I found myself outside Sharkey’s filling station in Williamstown, helping Joe Ryan sell tickets for Creggs Rugby Club.
Now I will admit that I thought I was going over there to sell the GAA ones, but I (not for the first time) had got my wires crossed. Anyway, I did a couple of hours there with Joe, and on a very busy morning, I have to say we had great craic and sold lots of tickets.
I met loads of people, some of whom I knew for donkey’s years – like Williamstown’s own Pat Deane, and my old flat mate from years ago in the bank (in both Ballina and Roscommon) Mickey Kelly, who married a Williamstown woman Eileen Higgins, and who still looks as fit as he did all those years ago. Eileen must be looking after him a bit better than we did in the old days in the flat!
I also met Martin Mannion, who reminded me of great nights back in the day in both Gannon’s and Mikeen’s, when we used to have fundraisers for different things and when his good friend Mattie Clarke would bring the house down with a selection of Big Tom songs.
I know Mattie never turned professional, but nowadays when you see so many tribute acts to all kinds of entertainers, Mattie could surely have made a career as a Big Tom tribute artist. I wonder if he needs a manager?
They were people I met that I know for a long time, but I also met Nellie Connor for the first time, and I want to say ‘hello’ to her! Nellie told me she reads me most weeks and I enjoyed the craic with her. And so, after a couple of most enjoyable hours in Williamstown, I was replaced on the sales team by the one and only Bill Flynn – who along with Joe Ryan, is another former formidable Creggs rugby player – and I took my leave. I know some people hate selling tickets, but I had great craic in Williamstown.
‘Til next week, bye for now
Pico Lopes
Pictured at last Sunday’s All-Ireland IFC semi-final at Kingspan Breffni is baby Éanna Mannion cheering on his mam, Roscommon’s Laura Mannion, with his dad Johnny.
Photo: Bernie O’Farrell
Share your Gleesons memories
Complimentary
Celebrating 35 years at Gleesons Roscommon
years in business really is something to celebrate and that’s exactly what the Gleeson family are doing this July.
General Manager Cáit Gleeson and her parents Eamonn and Mary have planned a month of celebration including with family, friends and customers. Everyone is welcome to join in.
Back in 1991, two teachers with a young family saw the potential in a gracious historic building in Roscommon town. Eamonn handled the front of house management and Mary took on the kitchen with enthusiasm and talent. They took a leap of faith and over the years have built Gleesons Roscommon into an internationally recognised hospitality business. They’ve won awards both locally and nationally and earned a deserved reputation for excellent food. Mary’s Organic Lamb Stew is the stuff of legend and has appeared all over the globe.
The business never sits still. The bedrooms have just been completely renovated and the Gleesons are building new completely accessible bedroom suites on the ground floor.
They take sustainability very seriously as evidenced by solar panels, green electricity, LED lighting, recycling, waste management and EV car charging points.
At Gleesons, the ‘fáilte’ is genuine. Every team member cares deeply about their guests and the experience they have. They’ve retained all that’s best about the old traditional hospitality values and blended them seamlessly with all the conveniences a visitor could desire.
The Gleeson family are at the heart of the business and their core values permeate every aspect of it.
Call in on Thursday, July 23rd between 9 am and 1 pm for music, home-baked sweet treats and all the fun of a live broadcast with Joe Finnegan and Shannonside. Everyone who dines at Gleesons that evening gets a complimentary glass of bubbly.
Or enjoy the special 35th birthday €35 menu running all month long with specials from 35 years ago –from prawn cocktail to a real oldfashioned mixed grill, it’s all there. We’re looking forward to seeing you.
Congratulations to Gleesons, Roscommon on celebrating 35 years in business. As such an important part of Roscommon’s tourism offering, Gleesons has consistently provided outstanding hospitality while promoting the very best of our county. We greatly appreciate everything you do for tourism in Roscommon and wish you continued success for many years to come.
hannonside FM and Gleesons have a unique relationship dating back to the early days of both, when the radio station was based in Roscommon Town. Long-time presenter Joe Finnegan recalls fondly: “Eamonn and Mary just had infectious personalities. They were involved in all sorts of local charities and events and their enthusiasm carried everyone else along too. We all got involved.
“They have a special way of reaching out generously to people and warmly welcoming them into the family business. I’m glad to say that hasn’t changed in 35 years.”
LISA JOY JOE FINNEGAN
Lisa Joy is Roscommon Tourism Officer
Continued Success to Gleesons
Gleesons has magical capacity to slow time and relax one’s mind
By Paul Healy
Gleesons in Roscommon Town is celebrating its 35th birthday, and I’ve been kindly invited to contribute my memories of this landmark premises over the years.
I use the word ‘landmark’ very deliberately. It’s one of the words that ‘fits’ perfectly when thinking of Gleesons… others include ‘welcoming’ and ‘warmth’. More of that later!
To begin with, one of the things that attracts me to Gleesons is… how it makes you feel.
(usually in town to perform in Roscommon Arts Centre) come to mind.
One evening, I had the pleasure of the company of the late Jon Kenny (of D’Unbelievables fame). Later, after his performance in the arts centre, and at my recommendation, he popped into Down the Hatch for a pint, where he blended in with locals, Jon a modest, friendly presence. The following day, I happened to be in Gleesons again, and met Jon in the carpark. “Well Paul” he said –as if we hadn’t met for the first the time the previous evening – “how’s the craic today?”
Club meetings in that room, and occasionally having a quick drink after the talking is done, is another fond memory. As much as one might associate Gleesons with specific events – family or otherwise – it’s actually the role it plays in the day-to-day life of the community that makes this premises so special.
There might be a big event coming up in a month’s time, but the real lifeforce of this wonderful establishment is the warm embrace it provides on ordinary days – what I might term ‘mundane Mondays’.
For years, we produced the Roscommon Association Yearbook (renamed ‘Roscommon Life’) and launched the first edition before a full house in Gleesons, back around 2005.
Congratulations to Gleesons on their 35th Anniversary from
If you were trying to create a cosy, intimate and welcoming establishment, one with character, one that has that magical, hard-to-define capacity to slow time and relax one’s mind – then you’d be well advised to follow the Gleesons template. They just got the mix perfectly right, which is not to say that the Gleeson family stumbled upon it or that it’s easy to build such an environment. They planned it, created it, nurtured it, loved it… and worked their socks off ever since!
What they created is this: a welcoming establishment, full of character, charm and warmth. They based it in a historic building which itself was located in the heart of the county town. And in serving up this treat, they’ve garnished it – so importantly – with an unfailingly genuine and heartfelt personal touch.
Some Memories
As to specific memories of Gleesons, I can certainly think of individual afternoons and nights, of famous guests, of good company, of the function room being packed for launches. Working as a journalist in Roscommon Town for the entire existence of Gleesons, I’ve attended countless events there. Launches. Lunches. Parties. Meetings. Wasn’t it outside Gleesons iconic entrance that Enda Kenny made his fateful pledge on preserving the status of Roscommon A&E? Little did we know the saga that soundbite would unleash! Sometimes over the years when a celebrity guest was staying in Gleesons, I’d arrange to meet them there for an interview for the paper. Comedians and actors
Over the years, if a ‘celebrity’ travel writer or visitors from abroad who might have a colourful life story to tell were staying in Gleesons, I might get a call asking if I’d like to pop down (with my reporter hat on). In that sense, even if I might go several weeks without popping into the premises, I feel I have an association with Gleesons. That’s the impact great hostelries like Gleesons have: even if you’re not there for a few months, when you pop back in, it’s as if you never left. One of the great things about Gleesons is that it’s there for the local community, part of the heartbeat of our town.
Book launches, public meetings, conferences, election campaigns, as well as parties, christenings and other family events have all been hosted in the spacious function room that is now so familiar to the people of Roscommon.
Gleesons is about the merry hum of familiar faces and voices in the dining room, or in that exquisite lobby area, with that magically atmospheric open fire; it’s about a mother and daughter having a quiet coffee in the café as they discuss a family issue; it’s about grandparents treating a grandchild to a special dessert; it’s about friends catching up and discussing the ebb and flow of life; it’s about meeting a fella from ‘out the road’ who stops at your table and engages on the matters of the day.
It’s about popping in for a
bowl of soup and reviewing the weekend GAA with someone sitting across from you; about picking up the Irish Independent from the newspaper holder on the way in, before settling down for a quick browse over breakfast. Gleesons, at its heart, is about being a hub for our community, where the ‘everydayness’ of life is elevated. Gleesons, in this guise, is a special place of warmth and welcome. Gleesons is about family, essentially because it’s steeped in family, being a prime example of a successful family-run enterprise. After all, at the heart of this success story is family – Eamonn and Mary, and their children (Cáit is now Managing Director). They had the vision, they set sail with courage, they weathered the storms of Covid and all the challenges the SME sector faces, and they’re still sailing 35 years on! Congratulations to the Gleeson family, and wishing Gleesons many more years at the heart of our great community.
*Paul Healy is Editor of the Roscommon People
Congratulations to Gleesons on their 35th anniversary
FarmingPeople
Roscommon MART WATCH
Sheep: There was a super entry of sheep on offer at the weekly sale of spring lambs, hoggets and stag ewes held on Wednesday, July 1st.
Prices for spring lambs made up to €212 and hoggets made up to €256, while stag ewes topped out at €278.
The next sheep sale will take place on Wednesday, July 8th. The yard opens at 8 am, and all stock must be penned by 10 am.
Please note that all sheep must be tagged with a full yellow EID tag set. The sale can be viewed live on www.marteye.ie.
Spring lambs, sample prices: 42.8kgs€158 - €3.69 per kg, 70kgs - €212 - €3.03 per kg, 57.5kgs - €208 - €3.62 per kg, 59kgs - €208 - €3.53 per kg, and 53.5kgs - €205€3.83 per kg.
Hoggets, sample prices: 71kgs - €256€3.61 per kg, 54kgs - €220 - €4.07 per kg, and 51.4kgs - €216 - €4.20 per kg.
Cast ewes, sample prices: 107kgs - €278€2.60 per kg, 101kgs - €260 - €2.55 per kg, 100kgs - €256 - €2.56 per kg, 94kgs - €240 - €2.55 per kg, and 92kgs - €240 - €2.61 per kg.
Castlerea MART WATCH
There were 250 lots presented for sale on Thursday, July 9th, and the upward curve in the cattle trade was evident, with all categories of stock witnessing improved prices and more demand.
The bullock ring, with increased lots on offer this week, witnessed the top quality stores hit €5.86 a kilo. The heifer ring witnessed the forward stores peak at €2780 while the dry cow prices exceeded €4 a kilo. The weanling rings recorded some very fancy prices, with bulls topping out at €6.66 a kilo, while the heifer weanlings peaked at €5.80 a kilo.
Cows with calves at foot made up to €2700, springers made up to €2030, and the calf and runner rings, with less numbers on offer, recorded an excellent clearance.
Bullocks, sample prices: Lm 445kgs €2360, Ch 380kgs €2230, Ch 425kgs €2180, AA 375kgs €1800, Ch 505kgs €2640, AA 568kgs €2330, Hex 605kgs €2160, Hex 595kgs €2200, and AA 590kgs €2290.
Weanling heifers, sample prices: Ch 365kgs €2120, Ch 350kgs €1680, BBX 305kgs €1550, Ch 325kgs €1560, Lm 280kgs €1430, BBX 280kgs €1600, and Ch 345kgs €1560. Sales continue on Thursdays at Castlerea Mart with the weekly sale of bullocks, heifers, cows, calves, runners and weanlings. All sales commence at 11 am.
Faina Kuzmonov pictured at the recent launch of Castlerea Food Festival at An Chistin, Castlerea. See next week’s edition for more details. Pic: Gerard O’Loughlin
More than 1,700 TAMS 3 applications approved in Roscommon
A total of 1,777 applications from County Roscommon have been approved under the Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme, according to figures provided to the Dáil.
The figures show that 2,369 TAMS 3 applications had been submitted from the county at the time the information was compiled.
TAMS 3 provides grant assistance for a specified range of investments in farm buildings, equipment, animal welfare, safety and environmental improvements.
The corresponding number of approvals was 1,106 in County Longford and 957 in County Leitrim.
More than 50,000 applications had been approved across the State.
The Minister for Agriculture said the Department aims to issue decisions within three months of applications entering the ranking and selection process and no later than six months after the relevant tranche closes.
The figures relate to applications rather than necessarily representing the same number of individual farmers, as an applicant may submit more than one application under the scheme.
Mullooly warns EU that Irish farmers could be hit twice by Australia trade deals
Midlands-North-West MEP Ciaran
Mullooly has called on the European Commission to assess the combined impact of both the proposed EU-Australia trade agreement and the existing UK-Australia trade agreement before granting Australia additional access to the European market.
Speaking during today’s meeting of the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee in Brussels, Mullooly warned that trade agreements must no longer be considered individually and that policymakers must instead examine their cumulative effect on European agriculture.
“Trade agreements cannot be assessed in isolation. We must examine the cumulative impact on European farmers and on established markets for EU produce,” he told the Committee.
Explaining why the issue is particularly important for Ireland, Mullooly pointed to the significance of the British market for Irish beef exports.
“For geographical and logistical reasons, the UK is Ireland’s most important beef market. Our exports to the UK were worth approximately €1.6 billion and accounted for almost half of our total beef exports.”
He warned that the existing UKAustralia Free Trade Agreement is already changing the competitive
landscape stating that, “the UKAustralia agreement is progressively increasing duty-free access already for Australian beef, sheep meat, sugar, butter and cheese.”
Mullooly said this could have serious long-term consequences for Irish producers. “This creates a real risk that lower-cost imports will displace Irish and European produce from UK supermarket shelves, maybe not today or tomorrow, but in the future.” The Independent Ireland MEP said the Commission must now consider the combined effect of both agreements rather than assessing each in isolation.
“So before granting Australia further access to the EU market, will the Commission assess the combined impact of the EU-Australia
‘Field of Her Own’
– empowering the women of agriculture
The Irish Farming Association (IFA) is inviting farm families to attend ‘Field of Her Own’, a free event celebrating the invaluable contribution of women to Irish farming and rural life.
The event will take place on Thursday, July 23rd, starting at 10.30 am in the beautiful surroundings of Coolamber House and Gardens in Lismacaffrey, County Westmeath.
Designed to recognise, inspire and support women involved in agriculture, the event will feature inspiring speakers and discussions with leading women from across the farming sector.
Attendees will have the opportunity to hear firsthand from women who are driving innovation, leadership, and positive change within Irish agriculture. The event aims to celebrate the vital role
women play on farms, in agri-business and within rural communities, while encouraging and empowering the next generation of women to pursue opportunities within the sector.
IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche said, “Women have always been at the heart of Irish farming, and this event is about recognising their contribution while creating an opportunity to connect, learn and be inspired.
“Whether you’re actively farming, working in the agri-sector, studying agriculture, or simply interested in the future of rural Ireland, everyone is welcome to attend.”
The event is supported by Farm Business Skillnet and is free of charge. Please register by visiting ifa. ie/WomenAgWestmeath.
and UK-Australia agreements on Irish beef exports, farmgate prices and market share?”
Mullooly warned that European farmers should not be expected to absorb the consequences of two separate trade agreements affecting the same market.
“European farmers must not be expected to pay twice, through increased imports into the EU and by losing valuable export markets into the United Kingdom.”
Mullooly said he will continue pressing the Commission to carry out a comprehensive cumulative impact assessment before any final agreement is concluded, ensuring that the full consequences for Irish family farms and rural communities are properly understood.
ENTERTAINMENT Culture&ARTS
To feature in this section, call 090-6634632 or email advertising@roscommonpeople.ie
Launch of O’Carolan Harp Festival…
Popular singer Gerry Guthrie is performing at the Roscommon Arts Centre on Thursday, September 3rd at 8 pm.
Gerry can’t remember a time in his life when he didn’t long to be a musician and singer. The Mayo man has been fronting his own 5-piece touring band since 2010, playing dancehalls in every corner of Ireland and further afield.
Gerry has been the recipient of many prestigious awards including ‘Vocal Performance of The Year’, ‘Musician of the Year’ and ‘Album of The Year’ (among others).
Now with six studio albums and several hit radio songs to his name, Gerry is embarking on his second nationwide concert tour following a sell-out run and
The Ballaghaderreen Players to perform Dancing at Lughnasa at Backstage Theatre
The Ballaghaderreen Players are thrilled to be making their first appearance at the Backstage Theatre, Longford with a play widely considered the crown jewel of contemporary Irish theatre – Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa.
rave reviews last year.
Don’t miss your chance to see one of Ireland’s finest home-grown talents live onstage.
Saturday, July 18th – the official Arraiá Roscommon! This family-friendly daytime cultural festival is open to all members of the public from Roscommon and surrounding areas.
The event will run from 12 noon to 6 pm at Kilbride Community Centre, Roscommon (F42N277), and will be free to attend!
Casserly collaborated with renowned perfumer Joan Woods (Waters + Wild Organic Perfumery) to create a unique essence of the Midlands bog – the place where he grew up – as the starting point for an olfactory encounter exploring our relationship to place. Created in direct response to the cessation of Ireland’s peat harvesting industry, Distillation is dedicated to the future of our broken landscapes – in the hope that by listening to them, we might be able to better understand them.
The production premiered as part of Dublin Theatre Festival in 2023, and has since toured extensively across Ireland, the USA, and Canada, earning widespread critical acclaim.
This performance takes place on July 29th at The Dock, Carrick-on-Shannon. There are two shows on, one at 5 pm, the other at 8 pm.
For more, contact thedockartscentre@gmail.com.
Set in the fictional town of Ballybeg, County Donegal in 1936, it is a memory play told from the point of view of the adult Michael Evans, the narrator. He recounts the summer in his aunts’ cottage when he was seven years old. This unforgettable summer brings the possibility of joy, dance and love to these extraordinary, ordinary women.
This is Brian Friel’s moving and timeless masterpiece about family, home, belonging and the sweeping tides of industrial change.
The Ballaghaderreen Players were reformed in 2023 with local theatre maker Julie Sharkey as director, to coincide with the inaugural Ballaghaderreen Arts Festival. They are committed to creating high quality productions of Ireland’s great plays, while making sure the process is every bit as enjoyable as the performance itself.
To date, they have performed and toured Big Maggie (2023), The Cripple of Inishmaan (2024), The Field (2025). This year it’s the turn of the beautiful Dancing at Lughnasa.
They are delighted to be performing for the first time at the Backstage in Longford and hope it will be first of many visits.
The performance takes place on Friday, August 14th at 8 pm.
Enjoy Brazilian Festival in Roscommon this Saturday
The Roscommon community is invited to experience a vibrant celebration of Brazilian culture this Saturday, July 18th.
This year’s main traditional Brazilian Day event will take the form of an authentic Arraiá Roscommon (a traditional Brazilian midsummer festival) on
The Arraiá is a family-friendly gathering showcasing authentic Brazilian culture. Attendees can look forward to traditional food stalls offering a wide variety of authentic Brazilian street food and summer festival treats, cultural folk music and dancing, and a dedicated kids’ zone with games and entertainment.
Distillation – transporting audiences to Irish bog landscape – comes to The Dock Award-winning singer Gerry Guthrie for Roscommon Arts Centre
All are welcome to attend and enjoy this wonderful display of community spirit and cultural integration.
For more information, contact braziliandayroscommon@gmail.com.
Creative Mic Night on tour
Fresh from its success at the Night and Day Festival in Boyle, Creative Mic Night – the popular monthly open mic style event usually held on the last Monday of the month in Foxe’s Bar in Roscommon Town – is hitting the road once again and stepping into the spotlight of the Roscommon Arts Centre auditorium this September.
Bringing together the region’s finest emerging and established talent, this vibrant two-hour showcase features a diverse mix of original music, poetry, comedy, and spoken word, split by a short 10-minute interval.
This open-mic-style event welcomes both experienced performers and brave first-timers, all inspired and driven by an incredibly supportive audience. Come along to discover your new favourite local artist, support the creative community, or even take to the stage yourself. Admission is free, but booking through the box office is required to secure your seat.
If you are interested in performing, please submit your application online at creativesroscommon.ie by the deadline of August 16th.
This takes place on Wednesday, September 16th at 8 pm. Pre-booking is essential.
The launch of the 2026 O’Carolan Harp Festival was held in Kilronan Castle recently. The festival returns to Keadue from July 27th to August 3rd. Pictured at the launch are Stephen Hennessy, Imelda McCabe, Peter Mattimoe, Andy McGovern and Maria Guihen. More in our next issue. Photo: Michael Finan
Pictured is Luke Casserly. Photo: Fergal Styles
Photo by Patricio Cassinoni
Luke
Castlerea Brass and Reed Band pictured at the recent Douglas De Híde Park Run in Castlerea. Pic: Gerard O’Loughlin
Fidelma Croghan pictured at the recent Douglas De Híde Park Run in Castlerea. Pic: Gerard O’Loughlin
Jacinta Greene pictured at the recent Douglas De Híde Park Run in Castlerea. Pic: Gerard O’Loughlin
A large crowd was in attendance at the recent Douglas De Híde Park Run in Castlerea. Pic: Gerard O’Loughlin
Pictured speaking at the recent Douglas De Híde Park Run in Castlerea was Thomas Murray (Chairperson, Roscommon County Board). Pic: Gerard O’Loughlin
Aoibh and Saoirse Bracken from Ballintubber pictured at the recent Douglas De Híde Park Run in Castlerea. Pic: Gerard O’Loughlin
Marina Deutsch and Brigid Byrne, archaeology students from the US, pictured at the recent Douglas De Híde Park Run in Castlerea. Pic: Gerard O’Loughlin
Margaret Fleming, Breda Muldoon, and Ann Collins pictured at the recent Douglas De Híde Park Run in Castlerea. Pic: Gerard O’Loughlin
Emmett, Patrick and James Conboy from Perth, Australia, pictured with Thomas Murray (Chairperson, Roscommon County Board) and Paddy Joe Burke at the recent Douglas De Híde Park Run in Castlerea. Pic: Gerard O’Loughlin
Elizabeth Devine, Fidelma Croghan, Dr Niall Brady, Breege Costello, Paddy Joe Burke, Jacinta Greene, Thomas Murray, Terry McGovern, Róisín Sheehy, and Dean Flanagan pictured at the recent Douglas De Híde Park Run in Castlerea. Pic: Gerard O’Loughlin
Residential Castlerea farm new to the market at Remax Team Earley
Keith McLoughlin of Sheehy Meares Team Earley is delighted to present to the market a residential farm on approximately 43.53 acres, located at Lissalway, Castlerea, County Roscommon (F45HT65). Comprised in Folio RN2472, this property comes for sale by private treaty, or auction later.
This is an exceptional residential farm extending to approximately 43.53 acres, situated within one of the county’s most established and highly regarded farming districts, and conveniently located between Castleplunkett and Castlerea.
This prime holding comprises an excellent combination of quality roadside agricultural land, together with a traditional-style bungalow residence, offering outstanding potential for farming, residential redevelopment, or investment.
The property includes a traditional bungalow residence standing on its own private site, presenting an excellent refurbishment opportunity. Subject to eligibility, prospective purchasers may qualify for grants of up to €100,000 – including the Derelict Property Refurbishment Grant (up to €70,000), together with SEAI energy efficiency upgrade grants (potentially up to €30,000). Grant eligibility and funding levels are subject to the relevant scheme terms and conditions.
To the rear of the residence
is a three-bay hay shed with lean-to cubicle shed, providing useful agricultural storage and enhancing the property’s farming credentials.
The lands are of good quality, laid out in manageable divisions with extensive road frontage, making them suitable for a wide variety of agricultural enterprises while also offering flexibility for purchasers seeking a residential holding, additional farmland, or an investment opportunity.
To accommodate a range of buyer requirements, the property is offered in the following lots. Lot 1 comprises the entire holding extending to approximately 43.53 acres, including the residence and farm buildings, with a price guide of €450,000. Lot 2 comprises approximately 42.14 acres of quality roadside agricultural land, with a price guide of €360,000. Lot 3 comprises the traditional
derelict residence with sheds, standing on approximately 1.39 acres, with a price guide of €90,000. Lot 4 comprises approximately 14 acres of quality roadside agricultural land, with a price guide of €120,000. Finally, Lot 5 comprises approximately 28.14 acres of quality roadside agricultural land, with a price guide of €240,000. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a substantial residential farm in a proven farming location, offering excellent agricultural potential, together with significant scope for residential restoration and future development.
For further information, contact Sheehy Meares Team Earley (Stonecourt Centre, The Square, Roscommon) on 090 6626579, email info@ sheehymeares.ie, log onto sheehymeares.ie, or contact the auctioneer Keith directly on 086 0848590.
Lot 3: Traditional derelict residence standing on 1.39 acres approx. AMV : €90,000
Two landmark commercial sales
by Sheehy Meares Team Earley
Cormac Sheehy and Keith McLoughlin of Sheehy Meares Team Earley are pleased to advise that they have recently closed the sales of two landmark commercial properties – Grogan’s in Glasson, and The Fiddlers Elbow in Ballaghaderreen.
The landmark bar and restaurant known as Grogan’s of Glasson came to the market with a site area of approximately 0.7 acres. This sale represented a rare and exciting opportunity to acquire a thriving, well-established bar and restaurant, with the added benefit of private residential accommodation.
Renowned for its charm, character, and warm welcome, this iconic premises is steeped in local history and holds a special place in the community, being a cornerstone of village life for generations.
The second recent landmark sale was that of The Fiddlers Elbow in Ballaghaderreen, a licensed premises with significant development potential –comprising a well-established bar and restaurant with a strong local reputation, and enjoying a prime location in Ballaghaderreen, just off the N5 and near Mayo and Sligo borders.
The property boasts a spacious dining area with seating for 100+ guests, a private function room ideal for events and celebrations, an attractive beer garden adding seasonal capacity, and a full commercial kitchen.
This sale represented a significant opportunity for the buyers to add residential or guest accommodation (subject to planning) in the near future, with a large site area with scope for further expansion or redevelopment.
These sales add to Sheehy Meares Team Earley’s strong track record of regularly selling commercial properties, bars, and restaurants throughout the region. Sheehy Meares Team Earley would like to extend their sincere congratulations and best wishes to the new owners.
Sheehy Meares Team Earley would also like to advise that they are urgently seeking similar commercial properties – bars and restaurants – in all areas for disappointed underbidders.
For further details or to book a free presales valuation, please contact Sheehy Meares Team Earley (Stonecourt Centre, The Square, Roscommon) on 090 66 26579, email info@sheehymeares. ie, log onto sheehymeares.ie, or contact auctioneers Keith (086 0848590) or Cathal (086 1409158) directly.
Grogan’s in Glasson is among the landmark commercial properties to be sold recently under Sheehy Meares Team Earley.
The Fiddlers Elbow in Ballaghaderreen is among the landmark commercial properties to be sold recently under Sheehy Meares Team Earley.
LANDS FOR SALE c. 14 acres together with old outbuildings thereon
The lands which are all top-quality farmlands are laid out in one division. Excellent opportunity to purchase a small holding or additional lands in a sough-after location. We are currently offering for sale a 4 Bed. Bungalow beside the lands. Inspection recommended.
Main Street, Ballygar, F42 P735
4. Bed. Two Storey NEW TO MARKET
Prime town centre location . Beside all amenities. Ideal family home / investment opportunity Viewing recommended.
Full Details from the auctioneer David Moran, MSCSI MRICS holding or additional lands in a sought-after location. We
Circa 37.68 acres in Castlecoote for sale by online auction
DNG Ivan Connaughton have a prime parcel of circa 37.68 acres of agricultural lands at Aghagower, Castlecoote, County Roscommon, for sale by online auction via the LSL Platform. This sale – taking place at 1 pm, on Thursday, July 30th – offers a superb opportunity for both local farmers and prospective purchasers seeking quality lands in a strategic location. Extending to approximately 37.68 acres, these lands are well laid out and is suitable for a range of agricultural uses including grazing and general farming. The holding benefits from circa 720 metres of road frontage onto two roads, enhancing both accessibility and long-term potential.
One of the standout features of this property is its elevated positioning and magnificent views of the surrounding countryside, which may lend itself to potential residential site opportunities (subject to planning permission) – a factor that will undoubtedly attract strong interest.
The lands are ideally situated in a central and accessible location, positioned between the villages of Castlecoote and Creggs and convenient to Athleague, Ballygar, and Roscommon Town.
Standing on the lands are a pen and crush, and farm entitlements are included in the sale, with transfer to be done in the 2027 BISS Year.
This sale represents an excellent opportunity to acquire top-quality lands in a proven farming district, whether for expansion, investment or potential future development.
The guide price for this property is €300,000. For maps, legal pack, or to register for bidding, contact the auctioneers DNG Ivan Connaughton on 0906663700 or contact the solicitor with carriage of sale, Jennifer Liddy (Liddy Neilan Solicitors, Roscommon Town), on 090 6627498.
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Acceptance of an advertisement or payment therefore is not to be taken as implying guarantee that the advertisement will be published. The right is reserved to refuse to insert any advertisement, without giving any reason; also to discontinue the publication of any advertisement previously published, without compensation for any loss or damage claimed for non-publication. Publication of an advertisement cannot be guaranteed on a speci c week or at all, whether or not a particular week has been stipulated by the advertiser, and the company will not be liable for any loss claimed by such omission, whether from all editions or any particular edition or editions of the paper. Right is reserved to alter any advertisement without liability for any compensation for such alteration. Further, the company does not accept liability for any loss or damage caused by an error or inaccuracy in the printing of any advertisement.
MONAGHAN Seán
Kilrooskey, Roscommon (9th Anniversary)
In memory of my loving husband Seán, who passed away on 22nd July 2017.
R.I.P.
I thought of you with love today, but that is nothing new, I thought about you yesterday and the days before that too.
I think of you in silence, I often speak your name, All I have are memories and your picture in a frame.
Your memory is my keepsake, with which I’ll never part.
God has you in his keeping, I have you in my heart.
Love Helen.
Seán’s 9th Anniversary Mass in Holy Rosary Church, Ballyleague on Sunday, 19th July at 11.30am.
HANLEY
Padraic
6, Shannon Heights, Ballyleague Who passed away on the 17th of July 2016 (10th Anniversary)
Dear Padraic, Gone but not forgotten. It broke our hearts to lose you but you did not go alone, for part of us went with you the day God welcomed you Home.
Always loved and missed by your mam Kathleen, dad Patsy, sister Marie and brother Alan.
Anniversary Mass in Ballagh Church on Saturday, 18th July at 7.30 pm.
DONNELLY
Sean
Rahara, Roscommon (1st Anniversary) Who passed away on the 10th June 2025
One year has passed since you left us, Yet your love remains each day. In our hearts you walk beside us, Never absent, never far away. A father’s love is a guiding light, That never fades or dies. Though we can no longer see you, Your wisdom and love remain in our lives. Forever loved, forever remembered, Always in our thoughts and prayers.
Deeply missed by Pauline & Jonathan, Geraldine & Gerard, Joe, Martina & Enda, David & Jayne
1st Anniversay Mass in Rahara Church on Sunday, the 19th of July at 10am
A year has gone, yet still we find, Your loving face is on our minds.
A wonderful Grandad, gentle and kind, Treasured memories left behind.
Loved and missed everyday by his loving grandchildren, Laura, Grace, Lochlainn, Keelan, Olivia, Carla, Hazel, Jessica, Ava & Sean
A silent thought, A quiet prayer, For a special brother No longer there.
Loved and remembered always. Ethna & Sean, Mallie & May
DONNELLY
Bridie Rahara, Roscommon (21st Anniversary)
Twenty-one years have passed away
Since God called you home that sorrowful day.
The years may slip by, one by one,
But the love we hold is never gone.
Your gentle smile, your caring heart, Remain with us though we’re apart.
Forever loved, forever near, Forever missed, our Mother dear. Sadly missed by Pauline and Jonathan, Geraldine and Gerard, Joe, Martina & Enda, David & Jayne and her loving grandchildren Anniversay Mass in Rahara Church on Sunday, the 19th of July at 10am
Time passes, but you are never far from our thoughts. Always remembered and sadly missed. Ellie & Tommie, Sheila & Sean, and her nieces and nephews.
HILL
Mary Theresa Abbey Street, Roscommon Town
Time may pass and fade away, But treasured memories always stay. Loved and remembered every day, Missed more than words can ever say.
Always loved and sadly missed by Jacqueline, Robert, Aidan, Mariana, Lisa, grandchildren, great grandchildren and extended family.
Anniversary Mass in the Sacred Heart Church, Roscommon on Saturday, 18th July at 10am.
CONNEELY
Ann Oran, Donamon (3rd Anniversary)
Treasured memories of a beloved wife, mother and nana who died on 23rd July 2023
It doesn’t take a special day, to bring you to our minds. For days without a thought of you, are very hard to find. You always did your best, your heart was true and tender. You simply lived for those you loved, and those you loved remember.
Loved and sadly missed by her husband Tommy, daughter Corina, sons Karl, Ivan, Aidan and families.
Anniversary Mass in Cloverhill Church on Saturday 18th July at 7pm
CARTY
Joey
Ballydooley, Donamon Remembering you with love, Joey, today and always. July 19th
Your life was a gift, your memories a treasure.
Loved beyond words, missed beyond measure.
BIRNEY
Philomena (née Hevican)
Lisnamult, Roscommon (1st Anniversary)
In loving memory of Philomena who died on 18th July, 2025. R.I.P.
You always had a smile to share, A laugh, a joke and time to care. A wonderful nature warm and true, These are the memories we have of you.
Deeply loved, sadly missed and always remembered by your niece and God-daughter Rosanne and family.
Philomena’s 1st Anniversary Mass will be celebrated in the Sacred Heart Church, Roscommon on Saturday, 18th July at 7pm.
Forever in the thoughts and hearts of your family and friends.
MULLEN Eilish
Munsboro, Roscommon (17th Anniversary)
In loving memory of our dear Eilish, who passed away on 6th July, 2009 R.I.P.
The happy times we once enjoyed, how sweet their memories still. What it has meant to lose you God alone will ever know but death has left a vacant place this world can never fill God bless you dear Eilish for those precious years. Lovingly remembered and sadly missed by Mam, Dad, Mary, Patrick, Eamonn, Lorcan, David, Ben, Finn Harry and nephews.
Eilish’s Anniversary Mass will be celebrated in Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Derrane on Saturday, 18th July at 7.00pm.
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Carrowclagher, Strokestown. Who passed away 18th July, 2025
On the rst anniversary of the passing of Noel, we, his family, wish to express our sincere and heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all those who supported us following his unexpected but peaceful passing on the 18th of July 2025 in Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe. Noel was a much loved brother, uncle , neighbour and friend. A quiet, gentle and unassuming man, who was known for his knowledge of all things farming and machinery and his willingness to help others.
We would like to sincerely thank our extended family, friends and neighbours who rallied around us in the days following Noel’s passing. The kindness, compassion and support shown to us brought great comfort during such a di cult time.
A special word of thanks to all those who helped at the family home, including those who assisted with tra c management, brought food and refreshments, and o ered their time and support in so many ways.
Our sincere thanks to all those who called to our home, o ered condolences, shared memories of Noel, attended the Funeral Mass, Cremation and the Burial of his ashes. Your presence, prayers and support meant so much to us and helped us to celebrate Noel’s life and honour his memory.
We would like to sincerely thank Aidan and Nicola Tully of Tully Funeral Directors for their help, support and professionalism throughout the Funeral arrangements. Their kindness, care and compassion were greatly appreciated by our family. A special word of thanks to Derek Mahady and Miriam Gunn for their beautiful music in the church. Their music greatly enhanced the liturgy and made Noel’s Funeral Mass a tting and memorable celebration of his life.
We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Fr. Eamon O’Connor and Fr. John Dignan for co-celebrating the Funeral Mass. Having known Noel for many years and shared in his friendship, their presence, thoughtful re ections and personal tributes to Noel, honoured his life in a very special way. We are very grateful for their support during and since Noel’s passing.
A special word of thanks to Dr. Caoimhe, Dr. Brendan and all the sta at Castle Street Surgery for their years of dedicated care, kindness and attention shown to Noel. Your professionalism, support and friendship over the years were greatly valued by Noel and deeply appreciated by our family.
To all who sent Mass cards, messages of sympathy, o ered prayers, made contact with us and continue to support our family, we extend our deepest gratitude. Your kindness then and your continued support means the world to us.
As it is impossible to thank everyone individually, please accept this acknowledgement as a sincere expression of our family’s heartfelt appreciation for all the kindness, support and friendship shown to us following the loss of our dear Noel. Mass of the Holy Sacri ce has been o ered for your intentions.
Noel’s First Anniversary Mass will be celebrated on Sunday, 19th July, at 10am in Carniska Church.
FAMILY NOTICES
Murray
Gerard (Gerry)
Drinane, Ballygar, Galway / Longford Town, Longford. Died 25th May, 2025
The family of the late Gerard Murray would like to sincerely thank all those who sympathised with them on their bereavement.
To all those who attended Gerard’s Removal, Funeral Mass, Burial and gave or sent mass cards, we are very grateful for your kindness and support.
Thank you to Fr. Douglas in Ballygar for celebrating the Funeral Mass, prayers and for his immeasurable support. His kind words and genuine interest in Gerard’s life, made the ceremony very special for his family.
We would also like to thank the nurses and sta of Clover Hill Nursing Home for the wonderful way in which you cared for Gerard as he spent his nal years there and for your kindness and support in Gerard’s nal days. A special mention of thanks to Dr. Crosby. Sincere thank you to David Moran at Moran’s & Co. Funeral Directors, Ballygar, for your professionalism and attention to detail as always.
A word of thanks also to Bernie Moran for the beautiful music and hymns during Gerard’s Funeral Mass.
Thank you to Brian O’Rourke who prepared Gerard’s nal resting place alongside his deceased parents, John and Bella Murray, in Ballygar Cemetery.
We would like to thank management and sta in Fallon’s Bar & Restaurant for providing us with a delicious meal after the Funeral.
A very special word of thanks to all Gerard’s former neighbours and many dear friends in Longford Town where Gerard spent most of his adult life.
To all that took care of him in any way, whether it was calling in on him, running errands, etc., we thank you most sincerely.
The friendships Gerard had made over the years with people he worked and socialised with, meant so much to him. It was very comforting for us to hear the many great stories of happy times being recalled. We are eternally grateful for your kindness and sympathy at a time of great loss.
May Gerard’s soul rest in eternal peace.
We will pray for your intentions at Gerard’s Anniversary Mass being celebrated on 18th July, 2026 St. Mary’s Church, Ballygar at 7.30pm.
KENNY
Máire and Michael John Culleen, Knockcroghery, Co. Roscommon
Máire who died 26th February 2018 (8th Anniversary)
Michael John who died 18th July 2021 (5th Anniversary)
Those we love don’t go away, They walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near. Still loved, still missed and very dear.
Sadly missed and always remembered by your loving family, Regina Allan, Éanna and Lucia.
Anniversary Mass in St. Patrick’s Church, Knockcroghery on Saturday, 1st August at 7pm. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha.
BURKE
Damian Cloonfad, Ballyhaunis, Co. Roscommon 21st July 2014 (12th Anniversary)
As time unfolds another year, Memories keep you ever near, Silent thoughts of time together, Hold memories that will last forever.
Remembered with love and sadly missed by all his family & friends.
Damian’s 12th anniversary mass will take place in St. Patrick’s Church, Cloonfad on Sunday, 19th July at 10:30am
GILL
Mary K
(née Farrell, formerly Dozin)
Weekfield, Roscommon Treasured memories of Mary K, beloved mother and Nana, who died on 23rd July, 2005
RIP (21st Anniversary)
Time unfolds another year. Memories keep us very near. Everyday in some small way, Thoughts of you come our way.
Sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her daughters, sons, daughter-in-law, sonsin-law, grandchildren, greatgrandchildren and extended family.
Anniversary Mass in the Church of the Holy Rosary, Ballyleague on Sunday, 19th July at 11.30am.
LANGAN
David
11 St. Ciarans Park, Roscommon.
Who died on the 20th of July, 1993 (33rd Anniversary)
You were always there when we needed you, No task too great or small, With loving heart and willing hands for us you did it all. We miss your smile, your joking ways, we miss the things, you used to say, And when old times we do recall, It’s then we miss you most of all.
Always and forever missed by your loving wife Kathleen, daughters Jackie, Ena, Claire, Sharon, sons David and Thomas, sons-in-law, daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
Anniversary Mass will be celebrated on 21st July at 11 am in Sacred Heart Church, Roscommon.
HARRIS
Barrie
Corlackin, Creggs, Roscommon (31st Anniversary)
In loving memory of a dear husband and father, who died on 17th of July, 1995
Always remembered by his family.
Anniversary Mass on Sunday, 19th July in Kilbegnet Church at 11:30am.
Also remembering our mother Bina, who recently passed away.
PRAYER TO ST. EXPEDITE For urgent need...Our dear martyr and protector, Saint Expedite, you who know what is necessary and what is urgently needed. I beg you to intercede before the Holy Trinity, that by your grace my request will be granted. (Clearly express what you want and ask him to nd a way to get it to you.) May I receive your blessings and favours. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. If Saint Expedite grants your request, place fresh owers beside his statue in your home or in the church. Also place an ad in the newspaper thanking Saint Expedite, so that his name and fame will grow. M.H.
Adrian 4 Windmill Road, Elphin
The candles are lit on a milestone today, But the room feels so quiet now you’re away. The big four-oh a number so bright, Now wrapped in the stillness of heavenly light. I wish we could gather and toast your name, To laugh and remember, and just do the same. As we always would do on the day of your birth, Celebrating the joy you brought to this Earth. Though time marches on and I’m missing your face, Your laughter has an indelible space. I’m blowing the candles out up to the sky, And brushing a tear that escapes from my eye.
Happy 40th Birthday in Heaven, my beautiful son. Our love and our memories will never, ever end.
Love from mam.
PRAYER TO ST. EXPEDITE
For urgent need...Our dear martyr and protector, Saint Expedite, you who know what is necessary and what is urgently needed. I beg you to intercede before the Holy Trinity, that by your grace my request will be granted. (Clearly express what you want and ask him to nd a way to get it to you.) May I receive your blessings and favours. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. If Saint Expedite grants your request, place fresh owers beside his statue in your home or in the church. Also place an ad in the newspaper thanking Saint Expedite, so that his name and fame will grow. J.E.
NOVENA TO ST MARTHA St Martha, I resort to thy aid and protection. As proof of my a ection and faith I o er thee this light, which I shall burn every Tuesday. Comfort me in all my di culties and through the great favors you did enjoy when the Savior was lodged in the house, intercede for my family, that we be provided for in our necessities. I ask of thee St Martha, to overcome all di culties as you overcome the dragon, which you had at thy feet, Amen. Say Our Father, Hail Mary, Gloria. A.B.
PLANNING NOTICES
ROSCOMMON COUNTY COUNCIL
We, Rooskey Community CLG, are applying to Roscommon County Council for planning permission to construct extension to the Rooskey CLG Afterschool building and all ancillary site development works at Rooskey CLG Community Afterschool, Main Street, Roosky, Co. Roscommon, N41 E0C3.
The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the o ces of the planning authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00 within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application and such submission or observation will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.
I, Mark John Gannon, am applying for Planning Permission for a change of use of an existing 1944 sq meter warehouse building to a light industrial/manufacturing Facility with all associated site development works at Killarney Td, Roscommon Co Roscommon.
The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the o ces of the planning authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of a fee of €20.00 within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the planning authority of the application and such submissions or observations will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.
Signed: AOL Design Ltd. Consulting Engineers C/O Albert Looby, Killeenboy, Kilteevan, Co Roscommon. Tel: (090) 66 28184 Mobile:(086) 8167365
ROSCOMMON COUNTY COUNCIL
I, Damien McDonnell intend to make application to Roscommon County Council for Retention Permission to retain and complete refurbishing works to existing premises, planning permission to construct waste water treatment system and percolation aarea and realign existing entrance to serve dwelling and land, associated site development works and services as Lisheenanierin, Strokestown, Co. Roscommon
The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the o ces of the planning authority during its public opening hours.
A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00 within a period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application and such a submission or observation will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions or may refuse to grant permission.
Deadlines for advertising is strictly 2 pm on Tuesdays
ROSCOMMON COUNTY COUNCIL
We, Aoife Ryan & Darragh McHugh, intend to apply for permission for development at Killinaddan, Hillstreet, Carrick-on-Shannon, Co. Roscommon. The development will consist of: (a) erection of one two storey domestic dwelling, c/w new wastewater treatment system to EPA CoP, (b) domestic garage/storage, (c) entrance driveway c/w entrance piers, and associated site works. The Planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the o ces of the planning authority during its public opening hours.
A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, €20, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission.
Signed: Vincent Durkin (Agent).
www.DurkinDesign.ie
Architectural Designs Tel: 086 83 72 933
ROSCOMMON COUNTY COUNCIL
We, Gerard & Martyna Doherty intend to apply for permission for development at this site
KNOCKNACARROW, COOTEHALL, BOYLE, CO. ROSCOMMON
The development will consist of construction of;
a) Single aspect detached dwelling house with attic bedrooms,
b) adopting the existing farm gate entrance for house and farm access,
c) vehicular access driveway to serve the new house,
d) connecting to the existing road services,
e) and all associated site works.
The planning application may be inspected, or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the o ces of the planning authority during its public opening hours.
A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee, €20, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application, and such submissions or observations will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission. Signed: Gerard & Martyna Doherty
ROSCOMMON COUNTY COUNCIL Further Information/ Revised Plans Planning Ref No PD/26/60063 The Development Applied for consisted of:- Revise Site Development Layout from that previously granted Planning Permission under Ref No 19/348 & 21/455 as follows:- Remove 17 No Dwelling Units composed of 2 NoApartment Blocks containing 8 No Unit within No’s 46 to 49 & 59 to 62 and 9 No Terrace Houses within No’s 50 to 58. Include 17 No Terrace Houses in 4 No Blocks containing 1 Block of 4 No x 3 Bed, 2 Blocks with each containing 4 No x 4 Bed & 1 Block of 5 No x 2 Bed Units, all contained within Units 46 to 62, and to include minor adjustments to the Site Services at Lus Na Greine, Monksland, Athlone. Signi cant Further Information in Relation to the Application has been furnished to the Planning Authority and is available for inspection or Purchase at a Fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy at the o ces of the Planning Authority during the public opening hours. Signed: Patrick Donoghue
ROSCOMMON COUNTY COUNCIL
Full Planning Permission Is Being Sought From Roscommon County Council For The Proposed Installation Of An Onsite Sewerage Treatment System With Polishing Filter To Service An Existing Dwelling House At Ardmoyle, Kingsland, Boyle, Co. Roscommon For Gillian Carter.
This planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the o ces of the Planning Authority during it’s Public Opening Hours and a submission or observation in relation to the application may be made to the authority in writing on payment of the prescribed fee, within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application.
Signed: Cunningham Design & Planning Limited
Block C, N4 Axis Centre, Longford, Co. Longford.
ROSCOMMON COUNTY COUNCIL
We, Cuan Bhride Childcare, are applying for Planning Permission for the construction of a single storey extension to the existing childcare facility with a corridor link, the replacement and upgrade of the existing community percolation area with a new Tertiary Treatment System and In ltration/Treatment Area and all associated site development works at Ballinderry Td, Four-Mile-House, Co Roscommon, F42 W326. The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the o ces of the planning authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of a fee of €20.00 within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the planning authority of the application and such submissions or observations will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission. Signed: AOL Design Ltd. Consulting Engineers C/O Albert Looby, Killeenboy, Kilteevan, Co Roscommon. Tel: (090) 66 28184 Mobile:(086) 8167365
ROSCOMMON COUNTY COUNCIL
We, Aurivo Dairy Ingredients Ltd, Intend to apply for Planning Permission for development at this site: Aurivo Dairy Ingredients, Dublin Road, Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon, F45 WK33
The Development will consist of: Construction of a single storey extension to rear of the existing separator room together with all ancillary site works and services. The activity at Aurivo Dairy Ingredients, Ballaghaderreen, is subject to an Integrated Pollution Control Licence (IPC). There is an existing licence in place for the facility Licence No P0802-03 Aurivo Dairy Ingredients at Dublin Road, Ballaghaderreen is lower tier Seveso site, and subject to Major Accident Hazards (COMAH) Regulations.
The planning application may be inspected or purchased at a fee not exceeding the reasonable cost of making a copy, at the o ces of the planning authority during its public opening hours. A submission or observation in relation to the application may be made in writing to the planning authority on payment of the prescribed fee of €20.00 within the period of 5 weeks beginning on the date of receipt by the authority of the application and such submissions or observations will be considered by the planning authority in making a decision on the application. The planning authority may grant permission subject to or without conditions, or may refuse to grant permission. Signed: Waldron & Associates I Engineers The Square, Claremorris, Co. Mayo Tel : 094 9372120 I Fax : 094 9372911 info@waldrons.ie www.waldrons.ie
Both RSG CLG and Corlann have various Employment and Training opportunities
Throughout County Roscommon for those that would like to work in the Health and Social Care Sector
Eligibility criteria for CE applies and Garda vetting
• Fully funded Training provided in QQI Level 5 and Level 6
• Gain relevant work experience that will enhance opportunities for full time employment
For more information, please contact Bernadette Connolly on: 0834471940 Or email: ce@rsg.ie
MAN LOOKING FOR WORK: Man in his 60s (retired) looking for 2/3 days a week part time van driving or taxi work. Full clean driving licence and small P.S.V Licence. Give me a call please on: 089 451 3669. If I do not answer leave me a message and I will get back to you.
Armagh a tough hurdle for improving Roscommon
It’s a clash with old rivals Armagh for Roscommon in this weekend’s AllIreland semi-final. Roscommon know that they will have to produce the performance of the season if they are to overcome the Orchard County who have a very good record against Roscommon in recent years.
Speaking to the Roscommon team manager Mary Grehan this week, it was clear there is a quiet confidence in the squad in the run-up to the game.
Mary Grehan: “We have been working hard in training. Our only absentee is Mairead Lohan who got injured against Armagh but everyone else is in flying form.”
Mary says that if Roscommon can produce a good performance for the full game they will have a great chance of winning.
“When we played Armagh a few weeks ago it was level at half-time and it was just in the last ten minutes that we let it slip. The same thing happened against Cavan so if we can play for the whole hour we will be in with a great chance of winning.”
Mary says that the success of the ladies footballers have given the camogie side a big boost.
“It’s brilliant to see what the ladies footballers are doing and our girls want
the same. These girls deserve a chance to play in a final in Croke Park too. It’s been a long, long year since we started training on the 3rd of December and hopefully all that hard work will pay off on Saturday.”
There is no doubt that Roscommon are much improved this year, but the big question is – have they improved enough to overcome Armagh? The loss of Mairead Lohan will be huge for the team.
Roscommon will be hoping that the likes of Michaela Finneran, Anna Hussey, Aimee O’Connor, Sally Bolger, Orla Connolly, Aine O’Meara and captain Rachel Fitzmaurice can lead a title charge.
Rachel Trainor is the chief threat for Armagh and against Roscommon in the recent group match (Armagh won 2-17 to 1-7) she scored 1-9. Others to watch out for on the Armagh side include Sinead Quinn, Alana McEntee, Eimear O’Kane, and Michelle McCone.
Roscommon will be boosted by the fact that Cavan defeated Armagh by 3-13 to 1-10 in a group game and Roscommon were just pipped at the post by Cavan in their match in Dr Hyde Park recently.
The form book suggests that Armagh would have to be the strong favourites, but Roscommon are not without a chance.
Prediction: Armagh.
Silverware for Boyle, St Aidan’s
St Aidan’s proved too strong for Clann na nGael in the final of the Tansey Cup (Division Three) which was played in Johnstown last week. It took a late surge from Aidan’s to secure victory after a close battle all the way through. St Aidan’s led 0-7 to 0-6 at half-time and then edged into a three-point lead (0-12 to 0-9) by the 57th minute. Clann missed a good goal chance at that stage while St Aidan’s finished well with two well-taken goals from Rory Coyle. Final score: St Aidan’s 2-13 Clann na nGael 0-10. Boyle edged out St Faithleach’s in the Division Four league final in Ballyleague by a single point. In this tight encounter, Faithleach’s led by 0-5 to 0-3 at half-time. On the resumption, St Faithleach’s stretched their lead when Mikey Dunne scored an early goal and a point. Boyle came back strongly, Cathal McKeon on target with a goal and a point to bring his side back into the game. It was close all the way to the finish but Evan McGrath kicked the final two points of the game in injury-time to secure the title for his side. Final score: Boyle 1-10 St Faithleach’s 1-9.
IS IT COMING HOME?
GAA REWIND / FAST-FORWARD
BIG TALKING POINT!
What a week or so it’s been for ladies football in Roscommon! Remarkably, three Roscommon teams have reached their respective All-Ireland finals.
As we go to press (Wednesday evening), our U-16s are in action in the All-Ireland final in Kinnegad (v Laois).
The Roscommon senior team, playing in the IFC, qualified for the All-Ireland final with a superb win over Westmeath last Sunday. We had a reporter and photographer present and you can see our coverage on pages 38 and 39.
And what a performance by the county minor team, who defeated Down at Kingspan Breffni last Thursday to qualify for, you’ve guessed it, the All-Ireland final. The minor ladies won comfortably, 3-13 to 1-8.
This is an astonishing achievement by the three teams. Well done to everyone in ladies football in Roscommon, and wishing all the players (and management) involved every success.
GAME OF THE WEEKEND
Marginally getting the nod ahead of Saturday’s dramatic Tailteann Cup final (Wicklow came from 12 points behind to defeat Down) was Sunday’s thrilling All-Ireland SFC semifinal in which Kerry finished strongly to overcome Dublin.
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEKEND
We’re giving the award to Mayo, who romped past Louth (3-23 to 0-15) in Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC semi-final,
but honourable mention to Wicklow for their remarkable comeback against Down in the Tailteann Cup final.
MOMENT OF THE WEEKEND
Dean Healy’s fabulous goal for Wicklow copperfasted their great comeback against Down which ultimately led to an unlikely Tailteann Cup final win.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
RTE interviewer to Mayo’s Ryan O’Donoghue after their comprehensive win over Louth: “Ye were dancing like spring lambs there in the second half.”
IMPORTED PHRASES UPDATE…
It’s official – we’re now ‘importing’ British phrases/idioms in much the same way we’ve been adopting American terms/ phrases for decades.
‘Mate’ has entered the everyday Irish lexicon in recent years – so too has ‘chuffed’. But nobody could have prepared this column for RTE pundit Paul Flynn’s assessment of the penalty call that went against Dublin in Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final against Kerry.
The former Dublin star turned pundit said: “We had a peno that was a harsh call early doors.” Early doors? Wow!
‘Looking into the heart and soul of Mayo GAA Man’ – Paul Healy’s Week, page 6
PH
the bus on arrival at Kingspan Breffni for last Sunday’s LGFA AllIreland IFC semi-final against Westmeath. The ‘numbers game’ worked… Roscommon won!
Bernie O’Farrell
PIC OF THE WEEK: Numbers game… Roscommon manager Finbar Egan was well prepared as he disembarked from
Photo:
< SEAMUS DUKE
See next week’s PEOPLE for Paul Healy’s World Cup wrap-up column
Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Premier Junior Camogie Championship semi-final: Roscommon v Armagh at Kingspan Breffni on Saturday at 1 pm
Mary Grehan (manager) and management team member Liam Murray pictured during the recent game against Cavan. Photo: Bernie O’Farrell
Cathal Mannion of Galway during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship semi- nal match between Cork and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sports le
Galway have hope, but Limerick’s experience may prove decisive
All-Ireland
final: Galway v Limerick on Sunday in Croke Park at 3.30 pm
Seamus Duke
Most pundits were expecting that Limerick would be in last year’s All-Ireland senior hurling final, but few predicted that Galway would be making the journey.
The Tribesmen are there on merit after a superb campaign which saw them claim the Leinster title and then swat aside a fancied Cork in spectacular style in the All-Ireland semifinal.
The re-appointment by Galway of Micheal Donoghue as team manager last year has been a masterstroke. Donoghue led them to their most recent AllIreland title win (2017). He has brought several new young players into the squad this season and a change of playing style
has revolutionised their fortunes and also the expectations in the county.
The young guns – including Joshua Ryan, Cillian Trayers, Darragh Neary, Aaron Niland, Jason Rabbitte and Cian Daniels – have been a revelation this year. Their tactic of withdrawing players back down the field and then hitting teams on the break has been hugely productive this year and was seen to devastating effect against Cork in the semifinal, especially in the second half.
The big question is – what will Limerick do to counteract the Galway game plan? John Kiely and Paul Kinnerk are master tacticians and will surely have
a game plan aimed at curbing Galway’s threat.
Limerick have looked back to their best at times this year but they have been put to the pin of their collars against Cork (who defeated them in the Munster Championship) and by Clare in the recent All-Ireland semi-final.
They have household names in every line on the field, players with several All-Ireland senior medals. It was interesting to see Cian Lynch being left off the starting 15 for the semi-final against Clare. Will Kiely restore his talisman for Sunday’s game?
Limerick are favourites to win this final, and deservedly so. Their record over the past six or seven years is superb. They are veterans of big games and excel
at winning them too. There is something fresh, new and quite exciting about this Galway team in 2026. The successful blend of youth and experience has seen the Tribesmen come into the business end of the championship with momentum behind them after their great wins in the Leinster final and against Cork.
While there is a quiet confidence in the Galway camp, one has to side with Limerick. It promises to be another cracking All-Ireland hurling final, by the end of which Limerick’s physicality, experience and know-how should see them over the line.
Prediction: Limerick.
Jason Rabbitte of Galway during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship semi- nal match between Cork and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sports le
1 THE SAW DOCTORS
The Saw Doctors wrote and sang the songs that spoke (mostly) for the young(ish) people of the west of Ireland/rural Ireland generally. Now we’re not quite as young as we were, but the Saw Doctors’ greatest hits still sounded great when the band appeared at the Night and Day Festival in Boyle recently. In fact they still sounded like the voices of a generation…
Galway teams traditionally grace the GAA with a certain distinctive flair. There was lot of flair in the late John O’Mahony’s All-Ireland winning teams, and on its day, Pádraic Joyce’s current squad play with style too. On the hurling front, there are many examples. Anyone remember the swashbuckling Gerry McInerney?
3 THE SCENERY
I’ll refer you to the breathtaking
4 THE BUZZ
played in Creggs on Friday night last. An injury-time point from Peter Kellehan tied up the scores for the final time and it was no more than
case.
Looking for a vibrant, bohemian-type vibe? There’s nowhere quite like Galway city centre, with its great pubs – full of character during the day, and er… maybe a bit too full of customers at night! Still, the live music is great, and the atmosphere is always special!
5 MICHAEL D
Galway gave us Michael D Higgins… an intellectual, a poet, a charismatic speaker, sporty – an eccentric arguably? Whether you agree with his political/social outlook or not, you must surely agree that he’s quite the one-off. Some would say a national treasure! Galway gave us the arty Michael D, who served as President of Ireland twice. And culturally dynamic Galway is continuing to provide our presidents, with Catherine Connolly succeeding Michael D.
Tremane deserved on the balance of play. Tremane were the better side in the opening half and aided by a John Brennan goal they led by 1-6 to 0-7 at half-time.
Tremane looked to have made a winning surge with an unanswered 1-3 after the break, but Dominic’s came into it after that and 2-5 without reply saw them
In the Monty Python film, Life of Brian, the question is posed: ‘What have the Romans ever done for us?’ – in this spirit, PAUL HEALY asks what has Galway ever done for us, well, apart from….
PAUL HEALY’s
10 reasons why you don’t have to be from Galway to love Galway!
6 CULTURE HOTSPOT
As we all know, Galway likes to brand itself as a centre for the arts; frankly, it’s a deserved status. The annual arts festival is a big success. Artists are drawn to Galway, and the city is arguably Ireland’s cultural hotspot!
7 THE HORSE FAIR
Ballinasloe is the location for the world famous horse fair. You meet all sorts of characters there. It’s considered to be Europe’s oldest and largest equestrian event!
8 PETER O’TOOLE
Sure, he was born in England, but Peter O’Toole considered himself to be an Irishman, and that’s good enough for me. O’Toole spent many years resident in Clifden. The socalled ‘hellraiser’ was a genial actor and a great raconteur. He was wonderfully charismatic, as evidenced by his chat show appearances (see YouTube). O’Toole loved Galway.
surge into the lead. Both the Dominic’s goals came from Naos Connaughton, one from a free, the other a close-range strike.
When Dominic’s led by 2-12 to 2-9 going into injury-time it was looking good for them, but points from Peter Kellehan (2) and Evan Murray saw Tremane earn a share of the spoils. In the other match, the
9 SALTHILL
Some say that the old resorts don’t have the appeal they had in the past, but I think Salthill retains its family-friendly magic. There are quaint bars and restaurants, it’s intimate and friendly, and that promenade is deservedly iconic as a walking route. Sure, I got stung on the roulette tables in the local casinos back in the 1980s, but I’m over that…
10 THE RACES
If you have the energy and the time, there’s still something special about Galway Race Week. Sure it’s great craic!
first played in Athleague for over two years, Roscommon Gaels recovered after their opening round defeat to Tremane to claim a two-point win against an Athleague side that shot 15 wides over the hour. The Gaels were the better side in the opening half and with Tim Gilmore, Richard Walsh and David King playing well, the town side
led at half-time by 0-9 to 0-5. Athleague were much better after the break and Cormac Kelly was notably accurate from frees. A welltaken goal from Eoghan Coyle saw the home side come within a point at one stage but late scores for the Gaels from Ciaran Mulry and Tom Beisty saw them over the line.
2 GAA FLAIR
beauty of Connemara, and with that I will rest my
Legend Lane’s leap of faith
SEAMUS DUKE spoke with legendary Galway hurler Noel Lane this week…
Noel Lane is generally regarded as one of Galway’s greatest ever hurlers. The Ballinderreen club man won three All-Ireland senior titles (1980, 1987 and 1988) and was recognised with two All-Star awards. He is also a former manager of the Galway senior hurling team (2000 to 2002).
Noel spoke to the Roscommon People earlier this week about Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling final and Galway’s hopes of upsetting the odds and winning back the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
I began by asking Noel what level of expectancy there was in Galway at the start of 2026 following the re-appointment of Michael Donoghue as team manager.
“There was a lot of positivity in the county from the start of the year. It was clear that the new management were introducing several young players on to the panel and it was good to see the management put their faith and trust in those players.
“There was a feeling that the older brigade had served the county well but that it was time for change. That happened, and as the year went on there were signs that there was light at the end of the tunnel.
“The expectation was that if Galway could win a Leinster title they could plan from there. That was achieved, and now they have gone one step further. The management have done a
very good job.”
So were there signs throughout the league that Galway were improving?
“There were positive signs from the start of the year. We did very well against Limerick and Cork in the league and then in the play-off against Limerick they went 12 points up but Galway pulled it back and it took them (Limerick) all their time to win that match, so there was a definite improvement as the year went on.”
What does Noel make of the Galway style of play which (as I’ve noted in the match preview) has seen them often withdraw several players into defence as a prelude to attacking teams on the counter-attack – with Jason Rabbitte staying inside as the target man?
“Teams are finding it hard to deal with Galway’s style this year. Cork did well in the first half in the semi-final but they reverted to their usual game plan in the second half and Galway picked them off. I’m sure that John Kiely and Paul Kinnerk (Limerick management) will have been studying the Galway style and will be trying to come up with a plan to deal with it. But it will not be easy to counteract that game plan.”
Noel has been very impressed by the role that young Jason Rabbitte has played this year.
“He has been superb, he is only 19 years old but he is playing
like a veteran. It’s also great to have Aaron Niland in the team. He is a great young player and a super free-taker. The team in general is playing with great confidence.”
I asked the Galway legend for his assessment of the Limerick’s form this season.
“It’s hard to know whether Limerick as are good as they have been. After all the AllIrelands and big games they have been in, maybe the hunger might not be as sharp as it has been. They have a lot of mileage on the clock. Don’t get me wrong, they will be mad to win another All-Ireland and they
are a great team, but they are not unbeatable. I thought they looked a little leggy against Clare but we will have to see what happens on Sunday.”
So how does he think the final will go?
“If Galway can bring their ‘A’ game to the table there is no reason why they cannot win this final. We have a very astute management team and we have total harmony within the panel and that’s always a good place to start. I’m certainly not being over-confident but if we can play up to our best we are in with a great shout” he concluded.
Noel Lane of Galway during the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final between Cork and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sports le
Then-Galway senior hurling manager Noel Lane celebrates after his team defeated Kilkenny in a Leinster SHC semi- nal at Croke Park in 2001. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sports le
Roscommon Cricket Club Season 2 Tournament a spectacular success
Roscommon Cricket Club proudly hosted its Season 2 Cricket Tournament on Saturday, July 11th, bringing together 12 teams from across Connacht and Munster for a day of exciting cricket, community spirit, and sporting excellence.
Unlike last year’s tournament – when rain washed out two matches and disrupted the momentum of the competition – this year’s event was blessed with beautiful sunshine throughout the day. The warm weather created perfect cricket-playing conditions and attracted a large number of spectators, making it a fantastic occasion for players, families and cricket supporters alike.
After a full day of competitive cricket, Athlone Titans were crowned champions, defeating the home side Roscommon Strikers by just two runs in a thrilling final.
Roscommon Strikers enjoyed an outstanding tournament, reaching the final after a remarkable campaign. One of the highlights of the day came in the semi-final against Sligo Titans, when Roscommon needed ten runs from the final two deliveries. Captain Bivin produced an unforgettable fin-
ish by striking two consecutive sixes, sending the home crowd into celebration and securing Roscommon’s place in the final.
The final proved equally dramatic. Roscommon’s bowlers restricted the strong Athlone Titans side to just 42 runs, but despite a determined chase, the home team fell agonisingly short by only two runs, providing spectators with a fitting end to a memorable tournament.
The event was honoured by the attendance of Cllr Domnick Connolly, Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council, and Deputy Martin Daly, who met players, officials and supporters and praised the continued growth of cricket in County Roscommon.
Roscommon Cricket Club would also like to express its sincere gratitude to all of the sponsors whose generous support helped make the tournament possible, including Molloy’s Pharmacy, Norio’s Takeaway and Diner, Total Health Pharmacy, Casey’s of Roscommon, Golden Fork, Forte’s Takeaway, and Daily Delight. Their continued support of community sport is greatly appreciated.
The club also wishes to thank all participating teams, umpires, scorers, volunteers and supporters whose hard work ensured the tournament was a great success. Visitors from across Connacht and Munster enjoyed not only a full day of high-quality cricket but also the welcoming atmosphere and food stalls available throughout the event. Roscommon Cricket
Concannon claims second win in four nights
DARTS: The Hollywood Bar Summer League continued last weekend with the fourth of eight roundrobin nights, as a field of 45 players battled for places in the cup and shield competitions.
There was some top class darts on display throughout the group stages. David Concannon produced a 106 checkout, while John Morris recorded finishes of 100 and 119. Noel Beirne checked out on 121, but the highest finish of the night came from Bernie Reilly with an impressive 148.
Morris impressed throughout the competition and negotiated a difficult route to the final. He began the knockout stages with a 3-2 victory over his brother James in the last 16, before defeating Gerard Killane Senior 3-1 in the quarter-finals. A further 3-1 win over Kieran Mullen in the semi-finals secured his place in the decider. On the other side of the draw, Concannon was equally impressive. He
recorded a 3-0 victory over Gary Gunning in the last 16 before overcoming Aaron Blaides 3-1 in the quarter-finals. Concannon then booked his place in the final with a convincing 3-0 win over Mick Kilroe. Morris made the sharper start to the final and opened up a 2-0 lead against the in-form Concannon. However, Concannon responded by taking the third leg before producing a 106
checkout in the fourth to level the contest at 2-2.
A tense deciding leg followed, with Concannon eventually prevailing 3-2 to secure his second victory in four nights.
Congratulations to David and hard luck to John. The organisers thank all the players as well as the management and staff of The Hollywood Bar for their continued support of the competition.
Club continues to go from strength to strength and looks forward to welcoming even more teams and supporters in the years ahead. Roscommon Cricket Club congratulates Athlone Titans on a deserved victory and thanks everyone who contributed to making Season 2 a memorable celebration of cricket in Roscommon!
American football finals double-header in Athlone
American Football Ireland will stage its championship finals at Dubarry Park, home of Buccaneers RFC, for the third successive year this Saturday.
Two major deciders will take place at the Athlone venue, with the action beginning at noon and continuing into the evening.
The double-header opens with the Harp Bowl final between the NorthWest Vipers and South Dublin Panthers at 12 noon.
The Shamrock Bowl final will follow at 4 pm, when the Belfast Trojans take on the Louth Mavericks in the day’s main event.
Tickets cost €15 for adults and €25 for families, offering spectators a full afternoon of sporting action. Tickets can be purchased in advance through the American Football Ireland website.
CONGRATS SAM: Congratulations to young prop Sam Illo, who earned his first senior Ireland cap in the 36-20 victory over Japan last Saturday.
The match was played in Australia, where Buccaneers product Robbie
Sam Illo playing for Wesley College in 2019.
Pictured are winner David Concannon and runner-up John Morris.
Henshaw was named in the starting XV and made a significant
contribution to Ireland’s victory. Congratulations also go to Adam Cooper, who has been represent-
ing Ireland at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Georgia.
Roscommon Strikers were the runners-up at the recent Roscommon Cricket Club Season 2 Tournament. Presentation by Gerry Dervin.
Athlone Titans were crowned champions at the recent Roscommon Cricket Club Season 2 Tournament. Making the presentation to the Athlone captain is Gerry Dervin.
Roscommon Cricket Club proudly hosted its Season 2 Cricket Tournament on Saturday, July 11th, bringing together 12 teams from across Connacht and Munster for a day of exciting cricket, community spirit, and sporting excellence. Some members/attendees are pictured with Cllr Domnick Connolly, Cathaoirleach of Roscommon County Council.
Athlone Titans were crowned champions at the Roscommon Cricket Club Season 2 Tournament last Saturday.
Roscommon’s Thomas Higgins the hero in superb Irish win
< SEAMUS DUKE
Roscommon Town golfer Thomas Higgins was the Irish hero in Estonia on Saturday last, sinking the crucial putt that helped Ireland end an 18-year wait for glory.
The 23-year-old Clemson University star sunk a 20-foot putt to secure the European Amateur Team Championships on the 20th hole in a dramatic finale against hosts Estonia.
British Amateur champion Stuart Grehan and Matt McClean had already won their singles matches, following a morning foursomes victory for McClean and Caolan Rafferty (Dundalk). While he put his tee shot into the water on the 20th, Roscommon Golf Club member Higgins recovered brilliantly against Kevin Christopher Jegers to seal a famous win for his team. It is Ireland’s first European Championship title since 2008.
Ireland had defeated England in the quarter-finals and Italy in the semi-finals. They made a blistering start to the final, with McClean and Rafferty racing into an early lead against Jegers and Markus Varjun.
That led to a comprehensive 4&3 win. Grehan and John Doyle (Fota Island) also wrestled the advantage early against Mattias Varjun and Johan Ralf Kivi, but there was a late comeback and Estonia took the second of the morning foursomes.
It was finely poised going into the afternoon singles before Grehan defeated leading Estonia player, Richard Teder, 5&4 in the first match. It was a huge boost for the Irish and McClean followed up with a 2&1 win over Markus Varjun.
Estonia had got their first point on the board through Carl Hellat at the expense of Gavin Tiernan. While Rafferty took Mattias Varjun to extra holes, he lost out on the 20th. It all resulted in a tense final few holes, but Higgins held his nerve for a historic victory.
A homecoming celebration for Thomas Higgins was held on Sunday night at Roscommon Golf Club.
Thomas will be in Lahinch to play in the South of Ireland Championships starting on Wednesday, July 22nd , and his Roscommon colleague Cian O’Connor will also be in the field.
CARRICK-ON-SHANNON
U-18 BOYS’ AMATEUR OPEN: And so ends Carrick-on-Shannon Golf Club’s hosting of the Connacht U-18 Boys’ Amateur Open Championship.
The overall winner was David Lyttle from Castlerock Golf Club with a superb score of -8 for the three rounds. 2nd: Tom Glennon; -7. 3rd: Dylan Cavazza; -6. 4th: Patrick Martin; -3. It was an honour for our club to host the young talented field, and we want to thank Golf Ireland for selecting our club for the event. If we do say so ourselves the course was in fantastic condition and we can’t let it pass without thanking our greenkeepers for their efforts. It was a great opportunity for our club to showcase what we can offer to visiting golfers.
Thank you to all the young competitors and their families who stayed in and around our town this last week. We received several messages from the hospitality industry thanking us for bringing such a large number of customers to the area.
We would also like to thank our own members who firstly gave up the use of our club for four days, and secondly, the number of member who gave up their time to volunteer and help at the event. And lastly, we would like to thank those who came out in great numbers to follow and support our own Patrick Martin. (And Patrick didn’t disappoint the crowds, he played some superb golf). Thanks to all involved.
O.B.N SERIES: The OBN Series 2026 continues to break records! When the series was established in 2024, playing numbers in weekend competitions had fallen to historic lows. To think we had 153 players teeing it up this weekend is just fantastic.
Thanks to everyone who played and especially thank you to our very generous sponsor, The Tipsy Tailor Bar, Main Street, Carrick-on-Shannon. Results will be published next week.
CAPTAIN’S PRIZE: The club would like to wish our very hardworking Lady Captain Monica Shannon the very best of luck this week with her Captain’s Prize.
On Thursday, it’s the Men’s Senior Section. On Friday and Saturday it’s the competition for both Gents and Ladies. On Saturday night, food will be served at 7.30 pm followed by a presentation of prizes and music. Please come along and support Monica.
CASTLEREA
ANNUAL FUNDRAISER: Castlerea Golf Club’s annual fundraiser, a four-ball Champagne Scramble, took place from Saturday, July 4th to Monday, July 6th.
The club thanks all members and visitors who participated in and supported the very successful rescheduled event. Thanks are also extended to the Club Management Committee, the course maintenance team and the event organising committee, led by Paul Glynn, for their efforts in ensuring an enjoyable and successful event.
Sincere thanks also go to the event sponsors: Tully’s Totalhealth Pharmacy, Castlerea, together with Golfstyle, Galway, and local business Manson Electric.
Winning team was Michael McGovern, Declan McGuinness, Mary Colleary and Dympna Lambert (112 pts). 2nd were Emmett Patten, Brendan Cox, Ray Joyce and Niall Gaffrey (107 pts, on countback).
3rd were Michael Moran, Bernie O’Farrell, Keith Mulvanny and Les O’Leary (107 pts).
Short putts
SPONSORED COMPETITIONS: The Michael Connelly Memorial men’s 18-hole competition was played between June 28th and 30th. Winner was Declan McGuinness. Runner-up: David Walsh; Cat. 1: Anto Kelly; Cat. 2: Alex Doyle. Rose Callaghan won the Michael Connelly Memorial ladies’ 18-hole competition, with Mamie Creaton finishing as runner-up. Alex Doyle was named the O’Ceallaigh Bagpiping Men’s Golfer of the Month for June 2026.
The ladies’ 9-hole competition, sponsored by Bliss Beauty Nutrition & Health Clinic, was played on June 30th. Winner was Connie Gannon. Runner-up: Valerie Callaghan.
LADY CAPTAIN’S WEEK: Club members send their best wishes to Lady Captain Pauline Glynn on the occasion of her Captain’s Prize Week.
Pauline will host a beginners’ competition on Thursday evening, July 16th, followed by 9-hole Stableford competitions for both ladies and men on Friday, July 17th.
The second round of the ladies’ 36-hole stroke competition will be played on Saturday, July 18th. Celebrations and the presentation of prizes for all competitions will take place in the clubhouse on Saturday evening.
INTER-CLUB: Congratulations to the mixed foursomes team who defeated Portumna Golf Club in the second round of the Connacht Flogas Irish Mixed Foursomes competition on Wednesday, July 1st, recording three wins.
The team were due to play Ballinasloe Golf Club in the third round on Monday, July 13th, with the result unavailable at the time of going to press.
Congratulations also to Rory Hawkshaw, Alex Doyle and David Walsh, who represented the club with honour and pride at the U-16 Boys’ Connacht Championship, held at Castlerea Golf Club on Friday, July 3rd.
LOTTO RESULTS: The recent winners were Tom O’Connor, Mamie Creaton, Gerry O’Gara, Greg Kelly and Emmett Patten, who each received €100.
The July 8th winners were Martin Casey, Ruth Sullivan, Seamus Stenson, Paul Connaughton and Andrew Callaghan, who each received €100.
Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to everyone who continues to support the club’s lotto.
ROSCOMMON
MEN: Weekly competition sponsored by Liam McNeill. Win-
ner was Jack Sharkey (40 pts). Cat. 1: Conor Merriman (40 pts); Cat. 2: Darren Burgoyne (37
3: Ross Shannon
The Open Friday competitions sponsored by GoTo Finance continue this Friday. On Sunday the annual Intermediate and Minor Scratch Cups sponsored by the Hodson Bay Hotel will take place. There are excellent prizes on offer. Visitors welcome. Check BRS for time sheet details.
LADIES: The Tuesday, July 7th 9-hole competition, sponsored by Longford Tiles and Bathrooms, was won by Therese Ray (28 pts). Cat. 1: Rosemary O’Brien; Cat. 2: Nuala Costello. 18-HOLE COMPETITION: Overall winner was Laarni Beattie (40 pts); Cat. 1: Linda Maxwell (38 pts); Cat. 3: Patricia Keane (34 pts).
SENIOR MEN: Winner of the Lady Captain’s prize to the seniors was Kieran Madden (23 pts).
WEEKLY COMPETITION: Winner was Nicky Scanlon (41 pts). Cat. 1: Kevin Glynn (41 pts); Cat. 2: Kieran Madden (39 pts); Cat. 3: John McGrath (39 pts); Cat. 4: Pat McDonagh (39 pts); Deuces: Tony McManus, Frank Flanagan, Anthony Duignan, Ger Keane, Des Mahon, Gerry Finn and Pat McDonagh.
SENIOR LADIES: Winner was Anne Gately (26 pts); 2nd: Mary O’Connor (22 pts); 3rd: Aileen O’Gara (22 pts); 4th: Margaret Madden (21 pts); 5th: Marie Keane (21 pts).
LADY CAPTAIN’S PRIZE: The Lady Captain’s Prize (Una Clay) will take place this week. The final round is on Saturday. The annual Lady Captain’s Dinner and presentation of prizes will take place in the clubhouse at approximately 8 pm. There will be music and dancing afterwards and everyone is welcome.
INTER-CLUB: The ladies team had an excellent win against Athlone in the Mary McKenna Cup last week. The men’s Fred Perry team play Swinford in the second leg of the Connacht final this Saturday at 2 pm. The score from the first leg is 2-2. Good luck to Ollie Dempsey and his team.
THOMAS HIGGINS: The club welcomed home Thomas Higgins on Sunday night last after he led Ireland to victory in the European Amateur Championships in Estonia on Saturday. In addition to sinking the winning putt in the play-off, Thomas was one of Ireland’s best performers throughout the week (see story).
PERFORMED WELL: Olivia Costello played for Ireland in the European Championships last week in the Slieve Russell. Ireland finished 8th. Cian O’Connor was one of Connacht’s best performers in the Interprovincial Championships last week in Knightsbrook. Well done to both.
SOUTH OF IRELAND: Best of luck to both Thomas Higgins and Cian O’Connor who play in the South of Ireland Championships at Lahinch which start on Wednesday, July 22nd
(News from local golf clubs)
pts); Cat.
(38 pts).
Thomas Higgins pictured with the Irish team after their dramatic win in the European Championships in Estonia last weekend.
Thomas Higgins is mobbed by his Irish teammates after sinking a 20-foot putt to win the European Championships in Estonia last Saturday.
Roscommon ladies soar in the sun to reach All-Ireland final
Hurling round-up
Seamus Duke at Kingspan Breffni
2-10
Roscommon will play in the All-Ireland intermediate football final on Sunday, August 2nd against Fermanagh in Croke Park following this dramatic four-point win against a fancied Westmeath in the blazing sunshine at Kingspan Breffni last Sunday.
It looked odds-on that this thrilling encounter would be going to extra-time when Westmeath midfielder Anna Jones converted a two-point free in the 58th minute to level the scores, but Roscommon had other ideas. In the second minute of injurytime Roscommon sub Lauren Shanagher appeared to shoot for a point but the ball looped over Aoife Temple in the Westmeath goal and landed in the net.
Then, when Westmeath had players inside the 20-metre line for the kickout, referee David Hurson awarded Roscommon a 20-metre free which Aisling Feely converted to complete a dramatic victory. The key scoring flurry may have come late in the game but this was a thoroughly deserved victory for Finbar Egan’s side who played some superb football throughout.
What a year it is for Roscommon ladies football, with the intermediates joining the minors and U-16s in All-Ireland finals. What an exciting new era for the sport in the county we are witnessing.
There were many memorable displays on the day for Roscommon, with Ella Thompson and Aisling Feely both magnificent. Thompson carried ball after ball into Westmeath territory and scored three wonderful points. On such an energy-sapping day, it was an astonishing performance. Aisling Feely was a real leader too. She kicked a number of crucial points and was always available to take the ball and set up scores for others.
Cummins,
and Laura Mannion were also particularly prominent as Roscommon refused to lie down despite a number of setbacks during the game.
Roscommon started best and were three points ahead after 13 minutes, Aisling Feely on the mark with two (one free), Abby Curran with the other.
Against the run of play Westmeath scored two goals in a four-minute period. The first came in the 14th minute when a ’45 sent in by Anna Jones to a crowded goal area was flicked to the net by Lucy McCartan, and then in the 18th minute Aisling Ruane raced through for a fine individual goal to edge her side three points in front.
Roscommon were unfazed and hit back within two minutes when Roise Lennon scored her side’s first goal at the second attempt when her original effort was well saved.
Anna Jones and Sarah Dillon were causing trouble for the Roscommon defence in the second quarter, and at that stage Westmeath were marginally the better side. Points from Ella Thompson and Laura Mannion stretched the Roscommon lead but Westmeath scores from Dillon (2), Jones and Caoimhe Kilmurray ensured that the Leinster champions went in at half-time leading by 2-4 to 1-5.
Kilmurray increased Westmeath’s lead with a point in the opening minute of the new half but Roscommon were now playing their best football of the game and they kicked the next three points through Roise Lennon, Caoimhe Lennon and Ella Thompson to level the scores by the 37th minute. Chloe Kelly Gonoud scored a point for the Lake County girls but Roscommon were dominating proceedings and scores from Feely (2, one free) and Thompson saw them ahead by one with ten minutes left (1-11 to 2-7).
Helena
Kate Nolan, Roise Lennon, Abby Curran
Pictured is the Roscommon team prior to Sunday’s All-Ireland LGFA IFC semi-final at Kingspan Breffni. Photo: Bernie O’Farrell
Rachel Fitzmaurice and Ella Thompson celebrate Roscommon’s win over Westmeath in last Sunday’s All-Ireland LGFA IFC semi-final at Kingspan Breffni.
Photo: Bernie O’Farrell
ROSCOMMON LGFA SPECIAL REPORT
It was a real battle now as the finishing line came into view. Dillon pointed for Westmeath but once again Feely replied with a superb point from distance for Roscommon.
Sarah Dillon was keeping Westmeath in the hunt and was on target with another point in the 55th minute. But Roscommon were relentless. Sub Lauren Shanagher fired over in the 56th minute and now there was two points between the teams.
Up stepped Westmeath’s best player on the day Anna Jones to kick that two-point free and in the final minute of play the sides were level. Aisling Ruane was yellow-carded in the second minute of injurytime for a tackle on Ella Thompson. Then in the 4th minute of time added on the Roscommon supporters were on their feet after that Lauren Shanagher strike, and their day was completed with that late converted free from Aisling Feely.
Walking out of Carrick-on-Shannon on Sunday, May 3rd after Roscommon had lost to Leitrim in the Connacht final by 4-18 to 0-8, an appearance in an All-Ireland final looked almost an impossibility. But in fairness to Finbar Egan and his players they have produced a remarkable transformation and were fully deserving of this win against a fancied Westmeath side.
It will be the first appearance by a Roscommon ladies football team in Croke Park since 2001 and on this form they are well capable of competing with a Fermanagh side who themselves upset the odds by beating a fancied Down team in the other semi-final. After all the disappointments and heartache over the years it is fantastic for this group of players to get their chance to play on the biggest stage of all. On the evidence of this display they are certainly not finished yet.
Action from the All-Ireland LGFA IFC semi-final at Kingspan Breffni last Sunday in which Roscommon defeated Westmeath. Saoirse Wynne (Roscommon) keeps
Teams & scorers
Roscommon: Helena Cummins; Megan McKeon, Aine Connaughton, Aine McGrath; Niamh Feeney, Ruth Cox, Ella Thompson (0-3); Ellen Irwin, Abby Curran (0-1); Laura Mannion (0-1), Saoirse Wynne, Aisling Feely (0-6, 3 frees); Roise Lennon (1-1), Kate Nolan, Caoimhe Lennon (0-1). Subs: Lauren Shanagher (1-1) for R Lennon (50), Mia Macken for Nolan (50), Rachel Fitzmaurice for Irwin (59), Grainne Lohan for Feeney (63).
Westmeath: Aoife Temple; Lara McCartan, Sarah Murphy, Fiona Coyle; Aisling Ruane (10), Lucy Power, Chloe Kelly Gonoud (0-1); Anna Jones (0-3, 1 2pf), Caoimhe Kilmurray (0-2); Aoife Keegan, Lucy McCartan (1-0), Tracey Dillon; Katie Kilmurray, Sarah Dillon (0-5), Rebecca Higgins. Sub: Philippa Ruane for Keegan (h/t).
Referee: David Hurson (Monaghan).
Stat Attack
Wides: Roscommon 7 (2, first half); Westmeath 12 (8, first half)
After what has been a real rollercoaster season, Roscommon manager Finbar Egan was quick to praise the effort of his players after Sunday’s win.
“I am so delighted for the girls who have put in a massive amount of work and for the management team too. We have a great bunch of people involved.
“The minors and U-16s are in All-Ireland finals so there was pressure on us today and it is an unbelievable achievement for the county to have three teams in All-Ireland finals. I am delighted that some of our girls will finally get to play in Croke Park.”
So what has happened since the 22-point drubbing in Carrick-on-Shannon in May?
“We simply didn’t show up that day at all. They (Leitrim) were on their game and they hammered us. We knew that evening that we were much better than that. We have a big backroom team and we have worked on several things since then. But no match is won on the sideline. The players do all the work.
“But not everything went well for us today. We gave away a lot of scores needlessly out there. We dominated the first half but they led by two at half-time. So we need to iron that out. Fermanagh will be a different challenge.”
Finbar paid tribute to the team’s defence.
“One of the big things that changed since
that drubbing we got in Carrick is our defence. Ruth Cox, Megan McKeon, Aine McGrath were given four players to mark in the game against Leitrim (quarter-final).
Leitrim scored a goal at the end of the game and that was the first score from play that any Leitrim player had got on the day, so that’s what changed.
“I thought we kept our composure today. We never dropped the heads. Even when they got that two-pointer at the end we came back to get the goal and a point to win it. We have a very strong squad and several players who want starting spots on the team.”
Looking forward to the final, Finbar says it’s a huge opportunity for the players.
“It’s 25 years since any Roscommon ladies team played in Croke Park. They have a great opportunity now and they will have a real go at it.
“There is a great spirit in the side. They are all friends. Finals are there for winning. I have been there a few times. It is the worst place of all to lose, so we have to make a huge effort.
“But if we play like we did today we have a great chance of winning it. These days don’t come around too often so we have to make it count if we can” he concluded.
Katie Kilmurray at bay. Photo: Bernie O’Farrell
Action from the All-Ireland LGFA IFC semi-final at Kingspan Breffni last Sunday in which Roscommon defeated Westmeath. Caoimhe Lennon (Roscommon) is tackled by Fiona Coyle. Photo: Bernie O’Farrell
Action from the All-Ireland LGFA IFC semi-final at Kingspan Breffni last Sunday in which Roscommon defeated Westmeath. Laura Mannion (Roscommon) prepares to sidestep Lucy Power. Photo: Bernie O’Farrell
Sports PEOPLE
Ladies storm into All-Ireland minor final with superb display
ZuCar All-Ireland LGFA Minor ‘A’ semi-final Roscommon 3-13 Down 1-8
< SEAMUS DUKE AT KINGSPAN BREFFNI
Roscommon’s minor footballers turned in probably their finest display of the year when emphatically defeating Down in an All-Ireland semi-final which was played at Kingspan Breffni last Thursday night.
Now Trevor Clohessy’s side will face Cork in the final on Saturday, July 25th in Tullamore. On the evidence of their semi-final performance, it will take a very good performance to beat Roscommon. After getting off to a bad start in the game (conceding a 3rd minute goal) they played some superb football to overwhelm their opponents. That early Down penalty was a boost to the Ulster team, but Roscommon recovered from the setback and went on to dominate proceedings.
While every Roscommon player made a big contribution to this excellent victory, there were some standout performances. Goalkeeper Lily Finneran was majestic. In addition to a couple of great saves, her kickouts were laser-like in their accuracy, Finneran finding a teammate time after time with her restarts.
Esmae Halpin, Alanna McCormack and Georgia Gerrity were outstanding in defence, while Sarah Jane O’Connor and Rachel Higgins were so hardworking at midfield.
Up front, Rachel Flynn and Shauna McGrath were superb all through, while the star of the show was Laura Glennon. What a game she had. Laura scored 1-8, won oceans of possession and used the ball so well. One of the easier ‘player of the match’ picks of the season.
On a perfect night for football, it was Down who began best. When Evie McHugh was brought down in the large square in the 3rd minute, it was definitely a penalty, and Clodagh Simpson made no mistake with the spot-kick.
After that setback Roscommon responded in style and never looked back. Points from Laura Glennon (two frees) and Rachel Flynn saw the sides level by the 12th minute.
Down responded with an Evie McHugh point in the 19th minute but it would take another 25 minutes before they troubled the scoreboard operator again. Instead, Roscommon took over. Points from Glennon (2, 1 free) and Shauna McGrath saw them lead by 0-6 to 1-1 after 28 minutes. Then, late in the first half, disaster struck for Down and Roscommon took full advantage.
In the 29th minute Down goalkeeper Cadhla Faloon lost possession of the ball and Rachel Flynn
pounced to crash it to the net. Then, in the second minute of injury-time, another defensive lapse from Down saw Esmae Halpin intercept and set Vivienne Gannon away, and in turn she sent Laura Glennon in on goal for a second three-pointer for the young Rossies. It meant that at half-time Roscommon led by 2-6 to 1-1.
Roscommon kept their foot on the accelerator on the resumption and by the 42nd minute they led by 2-11 to 1-1, with points from Glennon (3), Aoife Creevy and Rachel Flynn.
The Ulster champions did improve in the final quarter but Roscommon had done more than enough to ensure their place in the decider. Roscommon points from Orla Owens, Laura Glennon, Hannah Cassin and Lucy Elmore kept the scoreboard ticking over for them.
In the 58th minute another slick Roscommon
move ended with Vivienne Gannon blasting to the Down net for goal number three, completing a handsome win. It was a great way to cap a memorable performance by this talented Roscommon team.
One more hurdle remains to be jumped. Roscommon have not been in a minor ‘A’ final since 1991. With 13 All-Ireland title wins behind them – and they’re the reigning champions – Cork will provide formidable opposition. Still, if Roscommon can play like they did in this semi-final, it may well be that history is in the making.
Roscommon: Lily Finneran; Esmae Halpin, Maebh Finneran, Alanna McCormack; Charlotte Trautt, Laura McSharry, Georgia Gerrity; Sarah Jane O’Connor, Rachel Higgins; Laura Glennon (1-8, 6 frees), Rachel Flynn (1-2), Aoife Creevy (0-1); Vivienne Gannon (1-0), Isobel Kenny (0-1),
Shauna McGrath (0-1). Subs: Chloe Mulryan for Trautt (27), Sarah Meghan for Flynn (44), Sarah Kate Goode for Creevy (50), Gemma Moran for McGrath (56), Grainne Sweeney for Higgins (59). Down: Cadhla Faloon; Anna McArdle, Ellie McCabe, Meabh Boyle; Anna McGivern, Hannah Cassin (0-2), Lucy Elmore (0-1); Maia Murdock, Orlaith Mulholland; Annie McEvoy, Orla Owens (0-1), Grace Gordon; Isa McCarron, Evie McHugh (0-2), Clodagh Simpson (1-2, 1-0, pen). Subs: Mia McCann for Faloon (h/t), Kaylee Toner for McGivern (34), Cara Connolly for Mulholland (39), Cassie McAloon for Gordon (50), Olivia Cooley for McCabe (58).
Referee: David Hurson (Monaghan).
Player of the Match
Laura Glennon (Roscommon)
‘THESE GIRLS ARE WARRIORS’
A breathless Roscommon team manager Trevor Clohessy was understandably very proud of the way his side had swept to victory last Thursday evening in Cavan. He first paid tribute to their opponents, Down. “I went over to the Down girls there and praised them for winning the Ulster title for the first time the way they did – I have
to say I had nightmares about them (when) preparing for this match.
“But our girls are incredible. There are so many distractions for them… the Leaving Cert, the Gaeltacht, concerts, etc. We have been underdogs since day one. No one gave us a chance, no one was talking about us, and that’s what we wanted.
“These girls are warriors. If you get
the video and look back at that game you will say ‘what a performance’. Any time you beat the Ulster champions it’s a major feat.”
Clohessy agreed that he has a special bunch of players in his group.
“I was doing linesman at the Connacht U-16 ‘A’ final last year (Roscommon lost by a point). I saw great potential there. We came in this year
and set a number of goals and you know they have all been achieved so far and that included winning a Connacht ‘A’ title.
“I told the girls there that they are the best team I have ever coached and I can tell you they are really looking forward to playing Cork now. Cork are a juggernaut in our game, but our girls will not be afraid.”
The Roscommon manager says his team have an ideal make-up for the new rules.
“This team is made for the new rules. We slow it down and we get our runners and scorers into place. I have some great coaches working with me here and they are always telling the girls that they belong at this level” he concluded.
Roscommon minor ladies’ vice-captain Laura McSharry pictured at training on Tuesday evening as the Connacht champions continued preparations for their historic AllIreland Minor ‘A’ final against Cork. Photo: Michael Finan
